Forest Lakes Owners Association

ATV and OHV Information

From the Coconino County Sheriff's Department

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Department would like to take this opportunity to explain our policy regarding the licensing and use of All Terrain Vehicles (ATV’s). It is important for operators of these vehicles to be knowledgeable of all statutes pertaining to the lawful operation of ATV’s. All roads within Coconino County, unless privately owned, fall under regulation as prescribed by Arizona Revised Statutes to operate ATV’s.  On all roads, the operator must comply with applicable laws and regulations including:

• Any motorcycle or ATV being operated on a “street” or “highway” is required to be registered, insured and the drivers are required to possess the appropriate license endorsements. A vehicle registered as “Off-Road” is not entitled to be driven on a public highway.
• All persons under the age of 18 are required to have helmet and eye protection. (This is required ‘Anywhere” within the State of Arizona, including private property).
• All persons are required to have eye protection.
• Parents should be aware that under ARS 28-3474, permitting on unauthorized minor to drive, they may be held accountable for actions of their minor children who operate these vehicles.

The Arizona Office of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division has the following equipment requirements for these vehicles to be registered for operation on a public highway:

1. Horn
2. Rearview Mirror
3. Muffler
4. Brake system approved by MVD
5. Headlight
6. Tail Lamp
7. Stop Light
8. License Plate Light
9. Fuel Tank Cap
10. Seat and footrest for operator, if the vehicle is being operated with a passenger, a seat, footrest, and handrail for the passenger.
11. The handlebars cannot be positioned so that the hands of the operator are above the operator’s shoulder’s when the operator is sitting astride the seat and the operator’s hands are on the handlebar grips.

Forest Service News

Chevelon-Heber Ranger District 
January 2000 Forest Lakes 

We have for the past several years been working on providing off highway vehicle (OHV) opportunities in the Forest Lakes Area and reducing conflicts with non-motorized forest users and the Rim Lakes Management area. The Rim Lakes Management area abutting Forest Lakes on its west side as far as Larson Canyon, (refer to “Off Highway Vehicle and Rim Lakes Management Area’ map) was established in 1987 in order to deal with the effects of heavy recreation use of all types on an area of about 35,000 acres. In order to accommodate most recreation uses and still provide protection for forest resources the Rim Lakes Management Area restricts motorized recreation and camping to those places specifically set aside for them and designated on the ground (Developed Campgrounds, dispersed “Camp Here” signs and numbered roads open to vehicle travel). 

There has been and continues to be heavy OHV use in areas closed to motorized vehicles. These areas are the west side of Forest Lakes, the “Compactor Ponds”, and all along the 237 road. In response to this illegal use and complaints from adjacent landowners in 1996 we inventoried all the trails we could find and developed a system of trails from them that did not encroach on the Rim Lakes Management Area and did not present any serious resource issues, such as meadows, streams, sensitive wildlife habitat, steep slopes etc. This area is called the Forest Lakes OHV Closure Area. It provides several corridors that originate from public rights of way in Forest Lakes and travel through National Forest Land immediately surrounding Forest Lakes on its north and east sides to other public lands where OHV use is unrestricted. This trail system was signed in 1997. The Forest Lakes OHV area was implemented in a rudimentary fashion because there were few funds available to do otherwise at that time. 

We have recently received a grant from the Arizona State Parks- OHV Fund to fully implement the Forest Lakes OHV Area. This program involves signing trails open to vehicle travel, constructing a small trailhead / parking area near the compactor site, fencing or barrier work along the compactor road, development of an OHV brochure that would show the trail locations and describe responsible OHV use and finally the rehabilitation/closure of poorly located trails and illegal trails in the Rim Lakes Management Area.

This project allows for the stabilization of trails to be left open to OHV travel as well as the provision of information on how to use the trails and the public lands that surround them. We plan to begin implementation of the project the summer of 2000 and expect it to take at least two field seasons to complete. We hope this project meets the needs of the community and look forward to another step towards providing high quality recreation experiences for all users of the National Forest. For more information, please contact Fred Green at the Chevelon-Heber Ranger Station, (928) 535-4481.