Key takeaways

• The US Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map is the only legal source for Black Hills UTV routes, and it is free to download.
• Most designated OHV trails are limited to vehicles 50 inches wide or less, which rules out most full-size side-by-sides.
• South Dakota requires resident registration or a nonresident OHV permit before riding any designated trail.
• Riding an undesignated trail is a federal violation under 36 CFR 261.13 with fines and possible vehicle impoundment.
• App layers are convenient for navigation but lag behind official MVUM updates, so verify routes against the PDF.

The only black hills utv trail maps that count are the US Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Maps for the Black Hills National Forest, and they're free. This guide shows you how to read one line by line, decode designations, seasonal closures, and width limits, then transfer that route into onX Offroad, Gaia, or Offroadin' for navigation.

What are the Black Hills UTV trail maps and which one actually counts?

Only one source defines a legal UTV route in the Black Hills: the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) published by the US Forest Service. Each MVUM shows every road and trail open to motorized travel, plus the vehicle types allowed, seasonal closures, and width restrictions. The current maps for the Black Hills National Forest are free to download from the USFS Black Hills National Forest MVUM page, and rangers enforce against what is printed there, not what a forum thread says.

MVUM vs. forum maps vs. app layers

Forum maps and GPX files shared between wheelers are usually snapshots of a past MVUM, and routes get closed or re-designated every year. App layers like onX Offroad or Gaia GPS render MVUM data on a basemap, which is convenient but still one step removed from the source. We built Offroadin' (about the app) around the same principle: check the official map first, then layer it into your navigation.

Where do you download the Black Hills National Forest MVUM?

The Black Hills National Forest publishes its Motor Vehicle Use Maps free. Start at the forest's official USFS page, where you can download the north unit and south unit MVUMs as PDFs. Ranger district offices in Rapid City, Custer, Spearfish, and Wall hand out printed copies at no charge, and printed maps hold up better than a phone screen when you're aired down at a trailhead with dust on everything.

Paper vs. geospatial PDF vs. Avenza-style offline maps

Paper is bulletproof but shows only the snapshot from the print date. Geospatial PDFs are the same maps with coordinates baked in, so apps can geo-reference them once loaded. Avenza-style apps let you drop the PDF onto your phone and see your position offline, no cell signal needed.

Whatever format you pick, check the map's effective date against current forest alerts before you wheel. Designations change year to year, and we post updates on changes at Offroadin' updates.

How do you read trail designations on the MVUM?

The MVUM legend is a table of vehicle classes, and each trail on the map carries symbols showing which classes are legal there. Read the legend before the map: a route marked for ATVs only is not open to most side-by-sides, and that single distinction is where most forum-sourced routes go wrong.

The designation table explained

The USFS publishes the Black Hills OHV system as northern and southern trail networks (USFS Black Hills National Forest OHV page), and the MVUM for each district uses the same symbol set:

Symbol on MVUM	What it means	Typical rig
Motorcycle	Single-track and OHM routes	Dirt bike
ATV	Routes open to wheeled OHVs 50 inches wide or less	Narrow UTV, ATV
Full-size (jeep/truck)	Routes open to vehicles over 50 inches	Full-size Jeep, truck
Combination	Any designated class listed	Depends on listing

Width limits and what 50 inches means for your rig

The 50-inch line is the one that matters for UTV riders. A two-seat RZR-style machine at 64 inches is not ATV-legal, so it can only run routes designated for full-size or combination use. Measure your rig at the widest point, including tires and fender flares, before you trust any route on the map.

Which Black Hills trails are open to UTVs versus ATVs or full-size rigs?

The Black Hills National Forest splits motorized trail access by vehicle width, and the MVUM is where that split is written down. Most designated trails are limited to vehicles 50 inches wide or less, which puts most side-by-sides over the line unless the trail is specifically signed for wider machines. Full-size rigs are generally restricted to roads open to highway-legal vehicles, not the single-track OHV trails.

Rochford and the northern system

The northern hills system, centered on Rochford, runs about 112 miles and is the better-known network for wheeler crews. It is built around trails designated for vehicles 50 inches wide or less, so a stock Jeep stays on the forest roads while a narrow UTV or ATV can run the OHV trails. Check the MVUM legend for each trail number before assuming your rig qualifies.

Buffalo Gap and the southern system

The southern system near Buffalo Gap adds roughly 37 miles of designated trails. The same width rules apply, and seasonal designations can differ from the northern network. Read the map, not forum hearsay, before you air down.

Do you need a permit or sticker to ride UTV trails in the Black Hills?

Yes. South Dakota requires every UTV and ATV operated off-road to be licensed, and Forest Service land in the Black Hills adds its own sticker requirement on top of that. Your rig needs a valid state registration or a nonresident permit before you air down at the trailhead.

Nonresident permits for out-of-staters

If your plates are from Wyoming, Nebraska, Minnesota, or anywhere else, you buy a nonresident OHV permit instead of registering in South Dakota. The South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks OHV page covers both resident and nonresident rules, pricing, and where to purchase. Permits are sold online and at local vendors around the Hills, so grab yours before you roll into a forest road. Rangers do check, and riding a designated trail without the sticker still counts as a violation even if the trail itself is legal for UTVs.

When are Black Hills UTV trails closed and how do you check current conditions?

The MVUM prints seasonal closures right on the trail line. Look for date ranges in the legend or along the route, like "closed Dec 15 to May 1." If a trail segment shows those dates, treat it as closed outside the window, even if a forum post from last spring says otherwise.

Checking the forest service alerts page

Before you air down, check the Black Hills National Forest alerts and notices page on the USFS site. It lists temporary closures, fire restrictions, and storm damage that never made it onto the printed MVUM. Rangers also post at trailheads, so read the kiosk board before you roll out.

Weather and mud closures

Wet trails close fast in the Hills. A rainstorm can turn a designated forest road into a mud bog that gets the whole route gated to protect the tread. If it rained the night before, call the local ranger district and ask which routes are open before you trailer out.

What happens if you ride a trail not designated on the MVUM?

Riding an undesignated trail is a federal violation under 36 CFR 261.13, with fines that can run a few hundred dollars per citation, plus possible vehicle impoundment. Repeat offenses can cost you access to public land, and resource damage from renegade routes is exactly what triggers seasonal and permanent closures for everyone.

The MVUM is the legal map. If a two-track shows in your app but is missing from the current MVUM, it is closed, period. Apps can lag a season behind the Forest Service, and a dashed line on screen is not a designation. Check the official MVUM legend and designation symbols before you trust any route line, including ones shared by your crew.

How do you combine MVUM data with an app like Offroadin' for navigation?

The workflow is simple: read the MVUM first, then build the route in Offroadin' so trail day is about driving, not second-guessing designations.

Building the route on desktop or mobile

Trace your route along the forest roads and trails the MVUM marks for your vehicle class, matching the seasonal dates printed on the map. Offroadin' lets you plan group runs, track your crew live, and navigate offline in 3D, so once the legal line is drawn, everyone in the convoy follows the same track instead of four different apps. Log the run afterward and your garage page fills with real trail history alongside your mods and service records.

Honest shortfall: Offroadin' does not ship an official MVUM layer the way onX Offroad does, so the designation numbers and seasonal dates come from the PDF you download, not from the app itself. That means the map is only as current as your last download, and if the forest issues a closure order mid-season, the app will not know. Check the forest's alerts before every trip and re-verify any trail you have not ridden this year. Treat Offroadin' as the navigation and crew tool, not the legal source of truth.

Running it with your crew on trail day

Share the track before you leave pavement, air down, and let live tracking handle regrouping at junctions. If a gate or washed-out section forces a change, rebuild the line on the spot so the recorded route stays legal for the next crew that runs it.

FAQ

Are Black Hills UTV trails open to full-size 4x4s?

Generally no. Most designated OHV trails in the northern Rochford system and the southern Buffalo Gap network are limited to vehicles 50 inches wide or less, which rules out a stock Jeep or full-size truck. Full-size rigs are typically restricted to forest roads open to highway-legal vehicles. Check the MVUM legend for each trail number before assuming your rig qualifies.

Do I need a nonresident OHV permit to ride in the Black Hills?

Yes, if your rig is registered outside South Dakota. Instead of registering in the state, you buy a nonresident OHV permit, available online and at local vendors around the Hills. South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks covers both resident and nonresident rules and pricing. Rangers do check, and riding a designated trail without the sticker is still a violation.

Can I ride Black Hills UTV trails in the winter?

It depends on the trail. The MVUM prints seasonal closures right on the route line, with date ranges like closed Dec 15 to May 1, and many segments shut down for the winter. Treat any dated segment as closed outside its window, and check the forest alerts page for temporary closures that never made it onto the printed map.

What app works best for Black Hills UTV trail maps offline?

onX Offroad renders MVUM data on a basemap and works offline, making it the strongest choice for official designation layers. Gaia GPS is a solid alternative. Offroadin handles route planning, group tracking, and offline 3D navigation, but it does not ship an official MVUM layer, so you verify designations against the downloaded PDF yourself.

Is the Black Hills MVUM free to download?

Yes. The Black Hills National Forest publishes its north unit and south unit Motor Vehicle Use Maps as free PDFs on the USFS site, and ranger district offices in Rapid City, Custer, Spearfish, and Wall hand out printed copies at no charge. Check the map effective date against current forest alerts before every trip, since designations change year to year.