Danskin Mountain OHV Area
Danskin Mountain OHV Area encompasses 60,000 acres with 150+ miles of designated OHV trails in the Boise National Forest south of Mountain Home in Elmore County, Idaho — one of the premier OHV destinations in the entire Mountain West for riders who want the combination of high-elevation alpine terrain, significant mileage, and the Basin and Range geography of the southern Idaho high desert meeting the Owyhee Mountains. The area sits south of Mountain Home on the Snake River Plain, and the terrain transition from the valley floor to the Danskin Range produces an elevation range from 3,000 to 7,000 feet across the designated trail network. Lower elevation sections at 3,000–4,500 feet move through open sagebrush hillsides with juniper and scrub vegetation on exposed south-facing slopes — high-desert terrain that is rocky, fast-draining, and consistently rideable except during extreme summer heat. The upper elevation sections above 5,500 feet transition into dense conifer forest and technically demanding rocky routes as the trail approaches ridge terrain with panoramic views across the Snake River Plain and, on clear days, toward the Sawtooth Range to the north. Three primary trailhead access points distribute the rider population across the 60,000-acre system, preventing congestion even on peak weekend days. ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes, and dual-sport motorcycles are all permitted on designated trails; Idaho OHV registration is required. Multiple developed and dispersed campground options support multi-day riding itineraries. Managed by the Mountain Home Ranger District (208-587-7961). Open April 11 through December 31; closed January through mid-April due to snow.
- Phone
- 208-587-7961
- Hours
- April 11 – December 31; closed January through mid-April due to snow
Get trail maps for Danskin Mountain OHV Area
GPS tracking, SOS alerts, fire monitoring, and community chat — free for riders.
Browse All ParksMore off-road parks in Idaho
Clarke Mountain OHV Trail System
The Clarke Mountain OHV Trail System is a 25-mile designated OHV network in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest in Clearwater County, northern Idaho, approximately 23 miles from Pierce — one of the historic gold rush towns of the Idaho Panhandle, where the first major Idaho gold discovery occurred in 1860. The Cottonwood Creek trailhead on Forest Road 250 serves as the primary access point for the system, staging in the mixed-conifer forest typical of the northern Idaho Panhandle: Douglas fir, western red cedar, grand fir, and ponderosa pine on the lower slopes transitioning to subalpine species on the upper ridges of the Clearwater Mountains. Clarke Mountain's trail character is distinctly northern Idaho: dense forest single-track through timber that can reduce sight distances and increase the technical demands of the corridor, moderate to challenging terrain that rewards riders seeking wooded forest riding over open-country desert systems, and the cooler temperatures of the Clearwater Mountains that extend riding comfort into summer months when the southern Idaho desert systems are baking. ATVs, UTVs, and motorcycles are all permitted on designated routes. Dispersed camping is available throughout the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest under standard 14-night limits. No day-use fee; Idaho OHV registration is required for all machines on state and national forest land. Seasonal snow closures affect upper elevation sections from approximately November through April (208-476-4541).
St. Anthony Sand Dunes
St. Anthony Sand Dunes encompasses 10,600 acres of BLM public land 8 miles west of St. Anthony in Fremont County, Idaho, managed by the Upper Snake Field Office — a dune system in the heart of the Snake River Plain agricultural belt that rises unexpectedly from the surrounding potato and grain farm country to become one of the largest OHV dune destinations in the Mountain West. The dunes are formed from white quartz sand deposited by the Snake River over thousands of years and subsequently rearranged by the prevailing southwestern winds, creating crests that reach up to 400 feet above the valley floor. The white quartz sand color is visually distinctive: in midday sun the dune faces reflect a brightness that contrasts sharply with the dark basalt rimrock of the Snake River Plain that surrounds the dune field on three sides. OHVs, ATVs, motorcycles, and dune buggies are permitted in the designated open-riding area; Idaho OHV registration is required for all machines. The area's proximity to Yellowstone National Park — approximately 90 miles to the northeast — makes St. Anthony Dunes a viable component of a Yellowstone-region outdoor recreation trip for riders who want to combine dune riding with backcountry touring. The season runs from late spring through early fall, with summer being the primary high season — sand temperatures can exceed 150°F in the height of July and August, so morning and evening rides are preferable in peak summer. Camping is available within the BLM area. Contact the Upper Snake Field Office in Idaho Falls for conditions (208-524-7500).