http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr3_SrrO8xE&feature=youtu.be
In Nevada, wildlife roam in abundance. Open ranges and vistas that seem to go on forever make you wonder if there’s land out there that no one has ever stepped on before. Amazingly, most of Nevada’s panoramic views are the same as they were when Native American tribes settled, and folk in covered wagons passed through heading west. Today, with its ghost towns and seemingly endless miles of public trails, Nevada is an adventurous place to explore and enjoy off-road recreation.
Whether you like to hike, bike, or travel by ATV, side-by-side, dirt bike or dune buggy, there are mountains to climb and mesas to top. Trails weave through forests and lead to rivers and lakes. Much of the land features stretches of desert, dotted with sagebrush, so it’s important to travel with plenty of drinking water, and to carry dousing water and a shovel for any inadvertent wildland fire that hot vehicles can spark.
The Nevada Off-Highway Vehicles Program, administered through the Nevada Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, promotes safe and responsible use of vehicles and trails, and with dollars generated from the registration of off-highway vehicles in Nevada, funds needed and extraordinary projects to enhance and expand off-road recreation in the Silver State.
Since 2012, Nevadans who registered their off-highway vehicles (OHVs) have provided more than $2 million to fund projects throughout the State. Examples include a $44,000 grant to Sierra Trail Works for trail maintenance and route restoration on Peavine Mountain and a $185,000 grant to the Great Basin Institute to develop a statewide GIS trail system database that will produce digital and printable maps and downloadable data. A $173,000 grant to the U.S. Forest Service will widen trails to accommodate side-by-sides and address safety issues on the 30-mile long Ranger Trail in White Pine County.
Determining which projects to fund is the job of the Nevada Commission on Off-Highway Vehicles. Commissioners, appointed by the Governor, represent a diversity of environmental and recreational experts. They represent snowmobile, motorcycle, ATV and OHV owners, users and dealers. They represent agricultural and wildlife interests, providing scientific knowledge of Nevada’s ecosystems, and they represent the Nevada Sheriff’s and Chief’s Association, and the Nevada Association of Counties.
If you’re interested in receiving a grant, common eligible projects include, but are not limited to:
- Trailhead development including parking lots, signs, restrooms and related facilities
- Construction, reconstruction, and maintenance work on trails
- Bank stabilization, re-vegetation, rehabilitation and erosion control in areas caused by off-highway vehicle use
- Employee services of seasonal and/or non-permanent staff hired specifically for the project.
- Youth programs and youth-oriented safety and educational projects
- Trail building tools, equipment, and safety gear
- Signs and interpretive aids
- Public education, safety and user information programs
- OHV registration law enforcement and outreach/education salaries, materials and equipment
- Trail planning and environmental reviews including NEPA, feasibility and trail use studies.
- Trail management plans, analysis of existing and proposed trails, mapping, trail and facility inventory
- Map publication and public distribution of maps
Anyone interested in applying for a grant can visit ohv.nv.gov for details.
If you haven’t yet registered your OHV in Nevada, there are registration events scheduled to make it easier for you:
- Saturday, Sept 29, 2018 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at ATV CYCLE SPORTS, 4440 E. Craig Rd #300, Las Vegas, NV
- Saturday, Oct 13, 2018 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Parker’s Kawasaki, 1201 NV-160 #99, Pahrump, NV 89048
- Wednesday, Oct 20, 2018 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at RIDE NOW BOULDER, 6350 Boulder Hwy, Las Vegas, NV