Northcentral Regional ATV Trail
ATV enthusiasts are invited to experience riding trails in northcentral Pennsylvania that comprise the Northcentral Regional ATV Trail.
ATV riders will have the unique opportunity for long-distance travel by permit on:
- Designated state forest trails and roads
- Designated local (township) roads
- Designated PennDOT-administered roads
2024 Riding Season
The Northcentral Regional ATV Trail will operate during the 2024 summer riding season, which begins on Friday, May 24, 2024, and ends on Sunday, September 29, 2024.
2024 Riding Area
The 2024 Northcentral Regional ATV Trail area covers parts of Clinton, Lycoming, Potter, and Tioga counties.
For 2024 riding area details, please see the:
Riders are encouraged to travel the preferred route, but are free to ride any trail or road in the area that is
designated open to this use.
Responsibility falls on riders to plan their route and use only designated trails and roads, while avoiding those that are not open to ATV use.
ATV riding opportunities within this area are as follows:
- 450 miles of township roads
- 163 miles of state forest roads and trails
- 40 miles of PennDOT-administered roads
Cross Fork Road Bridge Closure Advisory
A bridge construction project over Windfall Run is scheduled for summer 2024 on Cross Fork Road in Stewardson Township, Potter County.
During active construction, the Cross Fork to Germania connection will be broken along the preferred route of the Northcentral Regional ATV Trail.
The
Cross Fork Road Bridge Closure Map (PDF) provides additional information about the location of the affected area.
Riding Permit
Riding the Northcentral Regional ATV Trail requires the purchase of a yearly permit.
Fees for 2024 riding season are:
- $40.00 for Pennsylvania-registered ATVs
- $60.00 for ATVs registered in another state
Permits are accompanied by a decal which must be visibly displayed upon the machine for which the permit is secured.
How to Obtain Permits
In-Person Option
Permit sales for the 2024 riding season will begin on Monday, April 15, 2024.
Riders can purchase permits in-person through the
Tioga,
Tiadaghton,
Sproul, or
Susquehannock State Forest offices when sales begin.
Please note that credit cards will not be accepted at the Sproul State Forest office after Friday, May 3, 2024. Please be sure to have cash or check.
2024 Office Hours
Susquehannock, Tioga, Tiadaghton, and Sproul State Forests: Permits are available for in-person sales between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M., Monday through Friday.
Beginning Friday, May 24, 2024: The state forest districts listed above will operate extended hours that include staying open until 8:00 P.M. on Fridays, as well as Saturday hours of 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Extended office hours will be subject to change throughout the riding season for all districts.
Please contact the district office if you have questions.
Mail-In Option
Processing of permit applications for the 2024 riding season will begin on Monday, April 15, 2024.
Please do not mail applications before Saturday, April 13, 2024.
Riders can obtain a permit by downloading, printing, and filling out the
Application for Northcentral Regional ATV Trail Permit (PDF) and sending with check or money order to:
Mira Lloyd Dock Center
137 Penn Nursery Road
Spring Mills, PA 16875
ATTN: Northcentral Regional ATV Trail
Applications will be processed in the order they are received and mailed back to applicants as soon as possible.
Permit Decal Placement
The permit decal (sticker) shall be placed in the uppermost, middle portion of the windshield on UTVs.
For ATVs and UTVs with no windshield, place the decal (sticker) on the right front fender (rider point of view).
Program Evaluation
DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry implemented a comprehensive monitoring program to evaluate the impact of the three-year pilot program (the precursor to the Northcentral Regional ATV Trail) on:
- Local communities
- Ecological values
- Other state forest users and recreational values
- Bureau of Forestry operations, staffing, and law enforcement capacity
- Public safety
- Adjacent public lands and natural resources
The monitoring program also evaluated the effectiveness of the special permit; the adequacy of funding for continued operation of the trail; and the need for additional education, outreach, and trail marketing.
Evaluation Report
DCNR published a
Report to the General Assembly on the Northcentral ATV Regional Trail Connector Pilot (PDF) about the pilot project for further evaluation and stakeholder input in December 2023.