| WATVA E-Newsletter
This week in the WATVA E-Newsletter Update:
- Iron County Atv Trails Opening May 14
- Jackson County Atv Trails Set To Open May 15th
- Atv Trail Work Begins In The Black River State Forest: From the Department of Natural Resources
- Trail Patrol Reports: Recent Report Submitted
Iron County ATV Trails Opening May 14th
The Iron County ATV Trail system will open on Thursday, May 14, 2009.
ATVers are asked to obey all town route restrictions that may be in place. Some routes or portions of routes may still be closed. The Towns will continue to open routes as they are able to repair and maintain them. Please use caution on all trails and routes as conditions can change daily. Remember, use of private land is a privilege, not a right, stay on the trail.
Jackson County ATV Trails Set to Open May 15th
JACKSON COUNTY ATV TRAILS SET TO OPEN...
Just a reminder that Jackson County ATV trails open Friday, May 15th.
Come to Black River Country and enjoy the scenic trails through the Black River State Forest and Jackson County Forest.
TEMPORARY CLOSURES
Due to work on the trails in the Black River State Forest the trails in this area - Hwy 54 Park Lots to Clay School Park Lots (Hatfield) - will have closures during the week (Monday through Thursday). The entire trail system should be re-opened each weekend. Work is scheduled through June 30th. Please be sure to check the status of the trails if this effects your riding plans.
CLARK COUNTY ATV TRAILS
Clark County ATV trails opened May 1st.
JOIN YOUR LOCAL CLUB - BECOME INVOLVED -
STAY ON TRAIL!!!
Wisconsin ATV Association, Inc.
3321 Behrens Parkway
Sheboygan WI 53081
920-694-0583
www.watva.org
Hatfield ATV Riders
PO Box 55
Merrillan WI 54754
Millston Knights ATV Association, Inc.
PO Box 824
Black River WI 54615
715-225-0431
www.millstonknightsatv.org
ATV Reminders
'The following are NOT ATV's and cannot be operated on ATV Trails or Routes Clark or Jackson County:
*Utility type, side by side vehicles (Gators, Mules, Rhinos, etc.)
*6-8 wheel amphibious vehicles
*Golf carts or go-carts
*Off-road motorcycles - only street legal motorcycles, driven by licensed operators are allowed on the ATV trail system. All non-street legal motorcycles may only operate on the Clark County Knobby Ridge Motorcycle Trails or Jackson County Crawford Hills Motorcycle Trails. In Jackson County, all motorcycles using any trail system must have a Jackson County Motorcycle Sticker.
Registration - You must either register your ATV in Wisconsin or purchase a valid Wisconsin ATV Trail Pass to legally operate in Wisconsin. All ATV's kept in Wisconsin for longer than 15 consecutive days are required to be registered in Wisconsin. Non-residents operating their ATV's in Wisconsin for less than 15 consecutive days must purchase an ATV Trail Pass if not currently registered in Wisconsin. ATV Trail Passes are available anywhere hunting & fishing license are sold or through the DNR website.
Who may operate an All Terrain Vehicle?
*Children who are at least age 12 and who are born on or after January 1, 1988 may operate an ATV on public riding areas if they hold a valid WI ATV safety certificate. Other state agency and provincial safety certificates are accepted in WI. ASI (All-terrain Vehicle Safety Institute) certificates are not valid in Wisconsin
*Persons under 18 years of age may not operate or be a passenger on an ATV without wearing protective headgear (helmet) with chin strap properly fastened on public riding areas (motorcycle type, Snell or DOT approved).
*Children under age 12 may operate a small atv on an all-terrain vehicle trail designated by the Department if the child is wearing a helmet and accompanied by a parent. (Small ATV means an ATV that has 4 wheels and that has either an engine certified by the manufacturer at not more than 90 cc's.
*No one under the age of 12 may operate an ATV on a roadway (ATV Route) under any circumstance
***These descriptions are only a portion of the state ATV laws. Please see the DNR ATV Regulations pamphlet for the complete set of regulations***
Atv Trail Work Begins In The Black River State Forest:
From the Department of Natural Resources
ATV trail work begins in the Black River State Forest
News Release Published: May 6, 2009 by the West Central Region
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=1246
Contact(s): Peter Bakken, superintendent, Black River State Forest, 715-284-1406
EAU CLAIRE – Renovation of all-terrain vehicle trails at the Black River State Forest will begin this week, the state Department of Natural Resources reports. Small segments of trail will be closed on weekdays during the project.
The plan is to upgrade one wetland crossing a week with the affected section of trail ready to ride again by the weekend. The first area to be affected is the 2.2 miles of trail between State Hwy. 54 and Bartos Road. Once these six crossings have been improved, work will begin on the eight crossings to the south between 54 and the state forest border.
A Chapter 30 wetland permits was applied for as required by law.
ATV trails in the state forest are part of a 230-mile regional trail system in Jackson and Clark counties. The trails were originally designed for snowmobiles. ATV usage was first permitted in the mid 1980s. At the time there were no engineering standards for ATV trail construction.
During the past decade ATV ridership has greatly increased. The large number of riders, combined with inadequate trail engineering, has created environmental problems. Engineering the wetland crossings is a crucial step in the long-term plan to improve the trails to modern standards.
After Labor Day, phase two will begin with work on remaining crossings just south of Highway 54 followed by the six crossings between East Seventh Street and Cranberry Drive.
ATV trails are open from May 15 through October 15 and from December 15 through March 15. Weekly trail condition reports are available at: Black River State Forest. During construction updated maps showing the section of trail closed will be available at this website.
For additional information please call the Black River State Forest staff at 715-284-1406.
Trail Patrol Reports: Recent Report Submitted
Wisconsin ATV Association is passing along in each E-Newsletter reports submitted by our Ambassadors who are out volunteering their time almost every weekend to enhance our image and protect our riders and trails.
This weeks report comes from two ambassadors who patrolled the Cheese Country Trail. That day they put on 111 miles and spent 10 hours on the trails. Here is what they had to say for that patrol:
"The trail was crowded with people and macines of all kinds today. Talked to four guys who had just gotten back on the trail from one of the intersecting roads. We asked were they came from and they said they had to go to little boys room which was about 1/8 mile off the trail and under a bridge to do their duties.We told them Darlington was about 2miles ahead and that they were risking getting a big ticket for being off the trail. We then met a lady that was having trouble with her contacts, getting dust in her eyes.I told her that goggles would make a big difference with being so dusty. She agreed and put her sunglasses back on and rode away.."
WATVA and the Ride Smart program thank all of our volunteers for their time and effort on the trails!
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