ATV & UTV Riding in Pennsylvania

ATVs, UTVs, and dirt bikes are great ways to have fun and get out of the house for a day or the entire weekend. Pennsylvania has many great roads and trails upon which to ride. But you cannot legally ride everywhere. The following helps to clarify where you can ride ATVs, UTVs, and dirt bikes in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Can you drive an ATV on the road in PA?

You cannot register and license an ATV to operate on public roads in Pennsylvania. You can, however, ride across public roads, bridges, or culverts as needed to get across designated public roads. State law only allows ATVs on public roads during emergencies.

There is no way to convert an ATV to make it legal to operate on public roads. You can only ride them on designated trails and any private roads that have signs stating that ATVs are legal to operate on them.

Are side by sides street legal?

Pennsylvania law treats side-by-side vehicles, also known as UTVs, the same as ATVs. That means you cannot legally operate a side-by-side on public roads. You can only ride them on designated trails and any private roads that have signs stating that ATVs are legal.

Some local units of government might designate a certain public road to be legal for UTV or side-by-side operation. But the state never designates any public roads or highways as lawful for ATV use.

Can you ride ATVs on PA State Game Lands?

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) allows owners and operators of registered ATVs to drive them on designated trails. The DCNR designates local trails and unimproved roads for ATV use in state forests and other managed areas, which includes state game lands.

Can you ride dirt bikes on the road?

A dirt bike that does not have lights and at least one mirror cannot operate on public roads or highways in PA. Some motorcycles are capable of riding on trails and public roads when they have a headlight, brake light, and tail light. They also must have at least one mirror and be titled, registered, and licensed. So you could ride a titled, registered, and licensed dual-sport, enduro, or adventure bike on public roads.

Can you ride dirt bikes on ATV trails?

You cannot ride dirt bikes on designated ATV or snowmobile trails in Pennsylvania. That is because the DCNR uses funds from ATV and snowmobile registrations to improve designated ATV trails for ATVs and snowmobiles.

The state does not have a fund for collecting and applying registration fees for dirt bikes to groom and maintain trails dedicated for dirt bikes. But other trails are open for use by dirt bikes and ATVs alike, such as Rocky Gap, Shade Mountain, and Willow Creek.