Best 4x4 Off-Road Trails in Ohio: Where Jeeps and Trucks Can Ride
Last updated on October 26th, 2026 at 08:14 pm
Full-size Jeeps and trucks cannot use Ohio's public off-road trails. Wayne National Forest limits its OHV trails to vehicles 50 inches wide or less, and state forest ATV areas stop at 62 inches. A full-size 4x4 needs a private park, and the two we could confirm are Southington Offroad Park in Garrettsville and Heiney Farm.
Both open only on set dates, not every weekend. Everything below was checked against the operator or agency page on October 18, 2026, and anything we could not open is labeled unverified.
Which Ohio spot fits my rig?
Based on the rules, fees and dates in the sources linked below, checked October 18, 2026. It does not cover parks we could not verify.
Width is the number that decides most of these results. Wayne measures from the widest point of the machine, so include fender flares, wide tires or accessories that stick out.
Treat a result as a starting point. Southington's open dates and Heiney Farm's ride days change, so confirm with the operator before you tow.
Ohio off-road spots compared
This table lists only what each operator or agency publishes. A blank on price means the source did not state it.
| Place | Who can ride | How you get in | Cost | 2026 season or dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southington Offroad Park | Full-size 4WD on full-size weekends. ATVs and side-by-sides on posted events only | Scheduled event weekends only, about one a month. Yearly waiver | Day pass $35 per driver and vehicle. Weekend pass $50. Passengers $10 per day, 15 and under free | Next full-size date listed: Black Friday, Nov. 27 (Oct. 2-4 has passed). See the events page |
| Heiney Farm | Modified full-size vehicles. Quads and motorcycles need approval | Private group rentals on select weekends, late May to September, plus posted public rides | Not published | No public ride listed on Oct. 18, 2026 (Sept. 26 ride canceled for flooding) |
| Wayne National Forest OHV trails (Monday Creek, Hanging Rock, Pine Creek, Superior) | ATVs and off-highway motorcycles 50 inches wide or less. Not full-size 4x4s | Trail pass plus Ohio APV registration (Wayne trail pass page) | $20 for 3 days or $35 for the season, ages 16 and up | Opened Apr. 3, closes Dec. 7, 2026 (recreation page) |
| State forest APV areas (Maumee, Perry, Pike, Richland Furnace) | Off-road motorcycles, ATVs and utility vehicles 62 inches wide or less. Not full-size 4x4s | Valid APV or highway registration, head and eye protection | No fee stated in the sources we checked | Perry, Pike and Richland Furnace closed 2nd Monday of December to 1st Friday of April. Maumee is not on the closure list |
That leaves two verified options for Jeeps and trucks, and both are private. The public trails are real, but they belong to ATVs, side-by-sides under the width limit and motorcycles.
For how other cities split public and private riding, see our guides to trails near Atlanta and off-roading near Miami both of which sort legal spots by vehicle type.
Where full-size 4x4s can ride in Ohio
Ohio has no public full-size 4x4 trail system like the ones in the Southwest. Jeep and truck riding happens on private property that sets its own schedule and rules.
The two parks below publish their dates. Neither is a drive-up, any-day park.
Southington Offroad Park (Garrettsville)
Southington covers more than 1,500 acres and describes its trails and obstacles as running from mild to wild. It is open to the public only on scheduled event weekends, and everyone signs a yearly waiver.
Full-size vehicles must be four-wheel drive and have a muffler, at least one tow point and a full-size spare. The park allows only DOT-style tread, so no agricultural or UTV-style tires. Drivers need a license and auto insurance, and the property rules bar passengers from pickup beds.
Dirt bikes, ATVs and side-by-sides are not permitted except on special posted events, and DOT-approved helmets are required at those. The 2026 schedule lists a September ATV and SxS weekend, a full-size weekend October 2-4 and a full-size Black Friday on November 27.
On event weekends trails run Saturday 9 a.m. to dusk and Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and guests must be out by 4 p.m. Sunday. Friday is camping only. Night wheeling is prohibited unless staff are with you, and quiet hours are 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
A few rules catch first-timers. Seat belts are required in all vehicles, drivers and passengers can't drink while trails are open, and you keep the vehicle locked in 4WD on the trails. Recovery straps must have loop ends only, because chains and metal hook ends are banned.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Day pass, one driver and one vehicle | $35 |
| Weekend pass, Saturday and Sunday | $50 |
| Passenger, per day (15 and under free) | $10 |
| Camping, per person, Friday night and Saturday night each | $15 |
| Electric campsite (limited sites) | $15 |
Here is the math for a typical weekend. One driver and one adult passenger pay $50 for the pass plus $20 in passenger fees. Camping Friday and Saturday adds $60 for two people, so about $130 before an electric site.
That figure is our arithmetic from the posted prices, not a quote from the park. Special events can change what you pay.
Heiney Farm
The Heiney Farm site describes trails geared toward modified full-size vehicles. It says stock vehicles are very limited in what they can do, and that 35-inch tires and a rear locker are very close to being a requirement.
Access is by private rental or posted public ride. The farm says it opens on weekends in select months, late May through September, for private group rentals. Its spring opener was May 16, 2026, and the September 26 public ride was canceled for rain and flooding.
No future events were listed on October 18. The site gives no street address or fees, and quads and motorcycles must contact the owner for approval. Use the contact form before you plan a trip.
Who can ride where: vehicle rules at a glance
The chart sums up the rules in this guide. Ask first means the operator's page does not say, not that the answer is yes.
Width is the usual dividing line. Wayne's trails stop at 50 inches and state forest areas at 62 inches. Neither is meant for full-size 4x4s: the Forest Service says it has no plans to widen trails for side-by-sides over 50 inches, and Ohio's rule covers APVs and utility vehicles.
If you are not sure which class your machine falls into, our explainer on what a side-by-side is and how it differs from an ATV covers it.
Wayne National Forest: public OHV trails, not for Jeeps
Wayne has four OHV trail systems in two ranger districts. They are for ATVs and off-highway motorcycles 50 inches wide or less.
The Forest Service lists a 50-inch limit on each system and says OHVs are permitted only on designated trails marked with orange diamonds. It has no plans in the near future to widen trails for side-by-sides or UTVs wider than 50 inches.
| System | Ranger district | Length | Vehicles the page names | Width limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Creek | Athens | About 75 miles | OHV riders (types not listed) | 50 inches |
| Hanging Rock | Ironton | 26 miles | Mainly ATVs and off-highway motorcycles | 50 inches |
| Pine Creek | Ironton | About 20 miles | ATVs and off-highway motorcycles | 50 inches |
| Superior | Ironton | 16.5 miles | ATVs and off-highway motorcycles | 50 inches |
Everyone 16 and older, passengers included, needs a trail pass: $20 for three days or $35 for the season. You can buy it at a ranger station, through Pay.gov, or from an authorized vendor. Online orders can take up to ten business days, per the Wayne trail pass page.
The OHV rules page adds Ohio APV registration and a DOT-standard helmet with eye protection. Out-of-state riders get reciprocity if their home registration is valid, otherwise a temporary APV sticker. A spark arrester is required, exhaust can't exceed 99 decibels at 20 inches, and anyone under 16 must ride with a licensed operator 18 or older.
For 2026 the Forest Service says trails opened the first Friday in April (April 3) and close the first Monday morning in December (December 7), with the last full riding day on Sunday, December 6. Dates can shift with weather, so check the recreation page.
A Jeep can still visit the forest by road. Wayne publishes 2026 Motor Vehicle Use Maps for its Athens, Ironton and Marietta units, and using a vehicle in a way the map does not designate is prohibited under 36 CFR 261.13. Our guide to whether a 2WD vehicle can drive Forest Service roads shows how to read one.
Ohio state forest ATV areas
Ohio DNR runs four all-purpose vehicle (APV) areas: Maumee, Perry, Pike and Richland Furnace. The ODNR State Forests Guide says they are for off-road motorcycles and all-purpose vehicles 62 inches wide or less.
Ohio Administrative Code 1501:3-4-12 lists motorcycles, all-purpose vehicles and utility vehicles as permitted, so a side-by-side within 62 inches is covered. Full-size 4x4s are not on the list.
Every vehicle must display a valid highway or APV registration from the Ohio BMV, and operators must wear head and eye protection. Riding is restricted to designated trails, except in Perry's APV area.
| Area | Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pike | Closed from the second Monday morning in December to the first Friday morning in April | On State Route 124, three miles east of Sinking Spring. About 20 miles of trails. Riding from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset |
| Perry and Richland Furnace | Same winter closure as Pike | Perry is the one area not limited to designated trails |
| Maumee | Not on the winter-closure list | Snowmobiles are permitted on designated trails when conditions allow |
By that rule, Perry, Pike and Richland Furnace close the morning of December 14, 2026 and reopen the first Friday in April, which is April 2, 2027.
Pike's summary also requires a valid operator's license, except for riders under 16 with a licensed parent or guardian 18 or older, and it bans races and contests. Check each forest's posted rules before you go.
Parks we could not verify
Several names show up in older Ohio guides. We could not open an operator or agency page for these, so treat them as unconfirmed and call first.
- Phoenix Off-Road Park is listed at 3250 County Road 26 in Wintersville, and directories say it sets aside Jeep weekends. The operator's site would not load for us, so we left out its fees and dates.
- Tecumseh Trails in Hemlock is listed by a directory as open to ATVs, UTVs and motorcycles and closed to registered Jeeps, SUVs and trucks. Confirm with the park.
- Forbidden Zone Park and the Wellsville area have no current official site that we could find, and older listings give prices we cannot confirm.
- Powerline Park appears in older guides, and we found nothing current to confirm its status.
Before you go: a short checklist
- Confirm the date. Check Southington's events page, use Heiney Farm's contact form, and read the Wayne recreation page for the season.
- Sort out paperwork. Wayne needs a trail pass and Ohio APV registration. State forests need a valid APV or highway registration.
- Measure your machine's width at the widest point, then compare it with 50 inches for Wayne and 62 inches for state forests.
- Go through the rig. Our Jeep trail prep checklist covers fluids, tires and recovery gear, and Southington expects a full-size spare and loop-end straps.
- Air down for the surface with our air-down pressure calculator, and air back up before the drive home.
- Follow the posted rules and our trail etiquette basics. Stay on designated trails.
FAQs
No. The OHV trails do not allow vehicles wider than 50 inches. A Jeep can use forest roads only where the forest's 2026 Motor Vehicle Use Map designates them for its vehicle.
Not for full-size vehicles on the OHV systems. Public OHV trails in Wayne National Forest and the state forests are for ATVs, motorcycles and, in state forests, utility vehicles within 62 inches. Jeeps and trucks ride at private parks such as Southington Offroad Park and Heiney Farm.
No. It is open to the public only on scheduled event weekends, about one a month. The 2026 schedule lists full-size dates of October 2-4 and Black Friday, November 27, so the next one is November 27.
Yes. Everyone 16 and older needs a trail pass: $20 for three days or $35 for the season. You also need Ohio APV registration for your ATV or off-road motorcycle.
Yes in the state forest APV areas if it is 62 inches wide or less and registered. Wayne National Forest sets a 50-inch limit and its pages list ATVs and motorcycles, so call the forest first.
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I'm Suryashankar Dasgupta, the founder of Off-Road Handbook. I've been off-roading for years in the USA, including California and Texas, and have ridden mountain and desert terrain abroad. I've also driven a Jeep Compass for more than seven years, so I know the day-to-day side of Jeep ownership first-hand, from the Uconnect screen to the warning lights. Every guide here is researched from manufacturer owner's manuals, NHTSA recall and service-bulletin records and other trusted sources, checked against them before it is published, and corrected when we find a mistake. You can read how we work in our editorial policy: https://offroadhandbook.com/editorial-policy/
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