California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division and its partners are encouraging off-highway vehicle enthusiasts to “Share the Trails,” the theme for the upcoming Spring OHV Safety Week, taking place March 23-31.

This semiannual event promotes safe and responsible OHV recreation across California’s dedicated OHV public lands. This year’s theme reminds OHV recreational users to focus on sharing the responsibility of following safety protocols and protecting the state’s natural resources.

“It’s important that everyone in the OHV community understands that they share the responsibility for safety,” said OHMVR Division Chief Callan McLaughlin. “We share our trails with many types of off-road vehicles and people of different skill levels, so everyone has the opportunity to enjoy our public lands.”

The Spring OHV Safety Week provides an excellent opportunity for all riders, both experienced and newcomers, to enhance their knowledge, skills, and awareness of safe OHV practices by taking safety courses and following simple rules. Training teaches everyone to “Share the Trails” by:

Staying to the right: Practice proper trail etiquette by always staying to the right side of any trail.

Show Yourself: Use a whip and flag at least 8 feet from the ground and wear high-visibility clothing.

Share your Skills: Take a free safety class, which can help you become a more experienced rider, then share what you’ve learned with others.
During this year’s OHV Safety Week, several state vehicular recreation areas (SVRAs) will host free safety training classes for OHV riders. For those interested in participating in these free classes, schedules and sign-up information is available on the California Outdoor Recreation Foundation website: OutdoorRecreationFoundation.org.

In October 2020, the California OHMVR Commission passed a resolution dedicating two weeks of the year to promote and focus on safe and responsible OHV practices.

Working together with the Tread Lightly! Initiative, California Highway Patrol, California Outdoor Recreation Foundation, Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, ATV Safety Institute (ASI), Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA), Motorcycle Industry Council, Motorcycle Safety Foundation, and Bureau of Land Management, the OHMVR Division has been providing a mix of safety messages and activities during the OHV safety awareness weeks, using park interpretive programs, in-person events, and safety messaging via various social media platforms. Additionally, ASI, ROHVA, and MSF have teamed up with the division to provide free dirt bike, all-terrain vehicle, and recreational OHV training.

California’s OHMVR Program was created in 1971 out of the critical need to better manage the growing demands for OHV recreation, while fostering respect for private property rights and protecting the state’s natural and cultural resources. Today, there are nine SVRAs across California: Carnegie SVRA, Clay Pit SVRA, Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch SVRA, Heber Dunes SVRA, Hollister Hills SVRA, Hungry Valley SVRA, Oceano Dunes SVRA, Ocotillo Wells SVRA and Prairie City SVRA. These public lands provide recreational opportunities on approximately 145,000 acres of lands with more than 600 miles of designated OHV trails and terrain. Some SVRAs also feature camping, swimming, and other recreational opportunities. A variety of wildlife, sensitive habitats, plants, and animal species call them home.

The OHMVR program also supports safe and responsible OHV recreation beyond the State Park System. Since 1971, more than $803 million in grants, managed by the OHMVR Division, have been awarded to federal and local partners, funding acquisition and development, resource protection, safety and education, and law enforcement for OHV recreation.

For more information about the OHMVR Division, including grant opportunities, please visit ohv.parks.ca.gov.