ATV trails in South Dakota
Where to ride an ATV on national-forest land in South Dakota: 5 ranger districts have routes on the U.S. Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map that designate atv access, totalling roughly 980.4 designated miles. This is a ranked view of those districts — miles, season and a link to each district's full data — built only from real MVUM designations, never a doorway. It covers national-forest routes only; South Dakota also has state and club systems that the MVUM does not include. Informational, not a legal document.
Ranger districts to ride an ATV in South Dakota
Ranked by designated atv miles. Open a district for its full access matrix, seasons, a route-network map and GPX downloads.
| Season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mystic Ranger District | Black Hills National Forest | 362.6 | 1,217.2 | Varies by route |
| Northern Hills Ranger District | Black Hills National Forest | 295.2 | 973.8 | Varies by route |
| Hell Canyon Ranger District | Black Hills National Forest | 125.1 | 1,242.5 | Varies by route |
| Wall Ranger District | Nebraska National Forest | 103.8 | 185.5 | Year-round |
| Fall River Ranger District | Nebraska National Forest | 93.7 | 93.7 | Year-round |
Data: U.S. Forest Service, Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) Motor Vehicle Use Map — Roads (layer 1) and Trails (layer 2), retrieved 2026-07-11. A work of the U.S. Government, public domain (17 U.S.C. §105). State assignment: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb state boundaries.
Every figure here summarises the Forest Service MVUM data and is not the official Motor Vehicle Use Map. Designations, closures and conditions change. Carry and follow each district's official MVUM when you ride.
Frequently asked questions
- Where can you ride an ATV in South Dakota?
- On national-forest land, 5 ranger districts in South Dakota have MVUM routes that designate atv access. They are listed below with miles, season and a link to each district's full route data.
- Does this cover state and private ATV trails in South Dakota?
- No. This page is built only from the U.S. Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map, so it covers national-forest routes. South Dakota may also have state-park, state-forest and private club systems that the MVUM does not include.
- Is this the official South Dakota MVUM?
- No — it is an informational, searchable view. The legal document is each district's official Motor Vehicle Use Map; carry and follow it when you ride.
Explore
See all South Dakota national-forest routes, read the methodology, or learn what an MVUM is.