Best Off-Road Trails In New England

Tear up some of the most scenic and challenging terrain in the country.

New England is well-known for its diverse and breathtaking landscapes. From panoramic mountain vistas to pristine lakes, rugged seashores, dense forests, and more, the area has so much to offer adventure seekers of all skill levels and vehicle types.

Being located so far north, New England also boasts some of the country’s most comfortable and inviting summer temperatures. Not to mention that since it’s also so far east, the wicked early sunrises allow you to get up and get the party started in the wee hours, giving you plenty of time to chill and enjoy some fresh lobstah in the afternoon.

Whatever time of year you decide to visit, you’re in for a treat. Here are just a handful of some of our favorite off-road trails to get your 4×4 fix.

Connecticut

Old Mottland Road Multi Trail, Haddam

If you want mud, water, obstacles, dirt, hills, and slopes, Old Mottland Road is the quick pick to click for OHV trails in Connecticut. While it can be used in both directions, it’s a short but sweet ride that you’ll want to run again and again. However, if you’re looking for technical and super challenging trails, this isn’t it. In fact, it takes an average of 6 minutes to rip up this trail. So, it’s great if you’re here for a good time, but not a long time.

Pachaug State Forest

If you’re looking for a longer, more Enduro-style ride, check out the 22,000 acres that make up Pachaug State Forest. Being the largest state forest in CT, it has a lot to offer in terms of trails and places to explore — 58 miles of roots, ruts, and rocks, to be precise. The best part? It’s free to ride and you can camp overnight. The drawback? It’s only open to street-legal motorcycles and dirt bikes. Sorry Jeepers…

Maine

Katahdin Lodge, Bangor

There are few states known for their vast wilderness and welcoming attitude to all things outdoors like the beautiful and varied state of Maine. One of the best places to welcome ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes, Jeeps, dune buggies, and more year-round is the Katahdin Lodge. This location features hundreds of miles of maintained ATV trails that offer something for all skill levels.

You’ll see plenty of untouched forests, picturesque streams, gravel pits, dirt roads, and even waterfalls. The 200 miles of trails also connect with the Aroostook County ATV trails to give you hours of non-stop exploring. Fun fact: If you want to get up close and personal with a moose, this trail system is one of your best options.

Mount Agamenticus, York

“Mount A” as it’s referred to by the locals is a quick, fun, multi-use 8-mile trail that welcomes dirt bikes, ATVs, and UTVs. It’s also shared with bikers, hikers, and equestrians, so try to be alert and conscientious. The Cedar Trailhead also offers access to Notch, Norman Hill, and Great Marsh ATV trails so you can continue the fun. It’s a relatively easy trail that offers moderate elevation changes and some challenging segments of rocks and tree roots. Be sure to leave time to head over to the plethora of oceanside restaurants to get your lobster and fresh seafood fix after the ride.

Massachusetts

Rock Road, Deerfield

This 1.3 mile out-and-back style trail is a quick and moderately challenging Jeep road that can be completed in under an hour. For added fun, it’s open year-round, so you can tackle it anytime your heart desires. The trail can be somewhat steep at times and offers access to the beautiful Pocumtuck Overlook. There are many other trails that branch off of it that are also favored by local hikers, mountain bikers, and avid birders.

Beartown State Forest, Monterey

If you want to take your ATV, UTV, or dirt bike out for a weekend of ripping with some of your buddies, Beartown State Forest is no-brainer location. It’s got 16.4 miles of varied terrain that includes chunky and loose rock, steep inclines, rugged tree roots, quick downhills, and fun mud puddles. It also features a large staging area that charges a relatively small parking fee from May through Labor Day. There’s also a year-round campground nearby with plenty of wildlife to see, and swimming to help wash off the dirt and grime after your ride.

New Hampshire

Jericho Lake State Park, Berlin

For a full day of practically limitless adventure that will welcome ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes, Jeeps, and even some sand rail 4X4s, you gotta go to Jericho Lake State Park located in the northeastern part of the state. It consists of long loops of mostly easy and varied trails that are great for novices and folks who want to just bomb around without spending most of the time crawling and winching.

If you are looking to pick through some rocks and mud pits, the recently completed 4×4 trail actually takes several hours to complete. It’s specific to trucks, Jeeps, and rock crawlers, so no need to worry about sharing with smaller vehicles. The park is open daily from late March through October from 8 a.m. to dusk and is a great place to bring the whole family and camp for the weekend.

Ride the Wilds, Coos County

The Shangri-La for any ATV or UTV lover is hands down Ride the Wilds. It offers a mind-boggling interconnection of over 1,000 miles of rugged forests and well-packed trails that are sure to provide hours of ATV bliss. The Northeast’s largest interconnected ATV trail system, it’s exclusively constructed and maintained by 11 separate not-for-profit clubs that want to deliver safe and fun riding options for everyone from beginner to expert. All the towns within the Ride the Wilds trail system allow ATVs on town roads so you can get gas, snacks, lodging, and more. It’s an epic adventure.

Ammonoosuc Recreation Trail, Lisbon

This mostly hard-packed and easy trail is a fun and super scenic place to take your ATV, UTV, or dirt bike. It’s open year-round and offers incredible views of the Ammonoosuc River and one of the historic covered bridges that New Hampshire is famous for. It’s full of wide, forgiving, and fast trails that can fit two ATVs side by side and are great for a family outing. The 19-mile trails also ride close to several towns that welcome ATVs at their gas stations for easy fill-ups.

Rhode Island

Oh Rhode Island, why do you have to be so tough to get along with? This state has zero public ATV trails, so if you want to roll around in your UTV or ATV, you need to be besties with a private landowner who has given you written permission to use their property.

The RI Coastal Resources Management Council issues 4X4 and beach vehicle permits for you to get some sand stuck in all the cracks and crevices of your Jeep or beach vehicle, however. There are several fun sand dunes, trails, and beaches that welcome off-roading as long as you’ve got the proper permits and safety equipment to pull yourself out of a jam.

Vermont

Woodbury Mountain Road, Woodbury

The Woodbury Mountain Road is a surprisingly technical tract of public use space that traverses about 14 miles of some of the most varied terrain you can find to challenge your 4×4 and off-road skills. Sure, it starts off like a leisurely Sunday drive down a quaint dirt road, but it quickly becomes tougher than a toddler that doesn’t want to go to bed.

The road features deep water obstacles and multiple rock ledges that might have you questioning your life choices at some points. The water holes have some particularly hard-to-spot lines that you might want to watch someone with a snorkel navigate first. It’s great fun if you’re looking for a challenge.

Jack Pines Pirates Trail System, Readsboro

Like several other states, Vermont is a little clique-y when it comes to offering places for people to ride their ATVs and UTVs. Most locations, like the Jack Pines Pirates Trail System require a club membership and associated sticker to be able to use them. The 15-mile Jack Pines system is a series of mostly easy and forgiving ATV trails that offer beautiful views of the rolling hills, streams, creeks, and rivers. It also ties into the shorter 8-mile Bennington Trail system for added fun. As an added bonus, once the trails close in October at the end of the summer season, you only have to wait a couple of months for them to reopen for an entirely different experience during the winter months.

Sponsored by N-FAB

Whether or not any of these trails are in your future, just thinking about them might have you eyeing up some more protection and style for your off-road rig. If you want products that last longer, look better, and fit flawlessly, then you need N-FAB.

Nerf bars and rock rails are one of the most important parts of keeping your vehicle’s body and undercarriage safe and secure when the trail is anything but flat – and N-FAB builds the strongest, most durable, and best-looking rails and bars in the game.

Step systems remain the company’s bread and butter, but N-FAB’s offerings also extend into aftermarket bumpers, functional light mounting, retro sports bars, Jeep-specific gear, and, most recently, a brand-new roof rack that lets you effortlessly take cargo everywhere you go — even deep into the forests of New England.

Better yet, whether you’ve got a well-worn 4×4 from the 80s, or a top end truck fresh from the dealer, it’s almost certain that N-FAB has an application to suit your needs.

To learn more about N-FAB’s off-road-ready product lineup, visit https://n-fab.com.