Local Beta › ATV and OHV
Valley conditions right now
Loading live data…Fire restrictions and this week's shop notes are on the Local Beta page.
Old mining and railroad routes climb out of Chalk Creek and over the Divide, with ghost towns, high passes and alpine lakes along the way. St. Elmo, one of the best-preserved ghost towns in Colorado, is the hub.
- Marshall Pass (FSR 200): easy and open to ATVs and OHVs. The 1881 railroad grade over the Divide.
- Tincup Pass: easy to moderate, from St. Elmo over to the town of Tincup.
- Hancock Pass and the Alpine Tunnel: moderate routes past old railroad sites above St. Elmo.
- Mount Antero (Baldwin Gulch): a rough, steep 4WD road to one of the highest roads in the state.
- Aspen Ridge: easy, open seasonally April 16 to November 30.
- Fourmile area near Buena Vista: Bassam Park and a big network of BLM and Forest roads.
- County roads open to OHVs in Chaffee County: St. Elmo and Alpine (CR 267, 295, 296 and parts of 292 and 162), Fourmile (CR 187 and most of 375), and Salida to Turret (CR 185, and CR 175 north of CR 181). All other county roads are closed to OHVs.
Know before you go
- Colorado residents register OHVs every year. Nonresidents buy an OHV permit. Plated street-legal vehicles still need a permit to ride designated OHV trails.
- On county roads: licensed driver 16 or older, registration, insurance, a spark arrestor, muffler, brakes and lights after dark.
- Stay on routes shown on the free motor vehicle use map (MVUM). It's in the Avenza app too.
- High passes hold snow into July. Turn around at drifts.
Resources
Common questions
Where can I ride ATVs or side-by-sides near Salida?
St. Elmo is the hub for Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass and the Alpine Tunnel. Marshall Pass Road is an easy ride over the Divide. Use the free Forest Service motor vehicle use map.
Do I need to register my OHV in Colorado?
Residents register every year. Nonresidents buy an OHV permit. Plated street-legal vehicles still need a permit to ride designated OHV trails.
Can I drive an ATV on county roads in Chaffee County?
Only on the county roads the county has opened to OHVs, mostly around St. Elmo, Fourmile and Salida to Turret. Drivers must be licensed and 16 or older.
Keep exploring
Checked October 2026 against the agencies linked on this page. Rules change, so confirm before you go, and stop by the shop at 110 N F Street for the latest.