The Garage

Where to ride

Where to ride in Illinois

Public riding areas, private motocross tracks and the permits Illinois asks for. Public areas are quoted from the managing agency's page, tracks from their own sites, each dated. Places close for fire, weather, seasons, races and repairs, so check the page before you go.

Public areas
1
Tracks
2
On the map
1
Quoted facts
11
Reviewed
2026-09-30

Areas

Public land the managing agency describes for off-highway riding, and privately run tracks and riding parks open to the public. Each card quotes the place’s own page on the riding, vehicles, season, ride days, fees, camping and size; what the page does not print is named on a hatched line. The Forest Service and the BLM publish motor vehicle use maps for public land not listed here.

1 of 3 places on the map; numbers match the list. 1 hollow pin is approximate: the centre of the ZIP code in the printed address, not the gate. 2 places have no pin: their pages give neither. Outline: U.S. Census Bureau.

Show areas whose pages name

Run by

Showing all 3 areas.

  1. 1. Sahara Woods OHV Park

    State Illinois Department of Natural Resourcesnear Carrier Mills

    The landscaped trails on the grounds of the reclaimed mine are near the scenic Sahara Lake and hunting area.

    Riding
    offers nearly 30 miles of off-highway trails for your riding enjoyment
    Vehicles
    Sahara Woods OHV trails are designed for OHVs, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and/or off-highway motorcycles (OHMS) only
    Season
    Sahara Woods OHV trails will reopen May 1, 2026, and remain open through the last full weekend of January 2027.
    Ride days
    9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Monday
    Fees
    One-day permit: $20 per vehicle
    Size
    offers nearly 30 miles of off-highway trails for your riding enjoyment
    —
    Not on the pages we checked: Camping
    • Trails
    • Names motorcycles

    Address as printed: 505 Trail Head Lane, Carrier Mills, IL

    Sahara Woods OHV Park, official pagechecked 2026-09-30

  2. 2. Byron Motosports Park

    Private track or park Byron Motosports Park

    Byron Motosports Park is Northern Illinois' premiere motocross facility.

    Ride days
    Byron Motosports Park will be hosting limited events this summer.
    —
    Not on the pages we checked: Riding, Vehicles, Season, Fees, Camping, Size

    Byron Motosports Park, own sitechecked 2026-09-30

  3. 3. Sunset Ridge MX

    Private track or park Sunset Ridge MXnear Walnut

    A SAFE, FUN, FAMILY ATMOSPHERE

    Riding
    50cc PWw/Wobblers/Beginners on 50 track source
    Season
    Practice hours 9am-3pm source
    Ride days
    WEDNESDAY PRACTICE DAYS ANNOUNCED WEEKLY VIA SOCIAL MEDIA source
    Fees
    GATE ENTRY FEE FOR SPECTATORS: $5 PER PERSON AGES 5 AND UP source
    —
    Not on the pages we checked: Vehicles, Camping, Size
    • Beginner or youth area
    • Motocross track

    Address as printed: 24558 1100 E Street, Walnut, Illinois 61376

    Sunset Ridge MX, own sitechecked 2026-09-30

    Map point: Approximate: centre of ZIP code 61376 (Census ZIP code area), from the address printed on the page, checked 2026-09-30. Back to the map

Permits and stickers

What the state's own pages say riders need on public land, quoted word for word. Illinois Department of Natural Resources runs the program; its page is below. Private tracks set their own rules, entry forms and gear requirements.

  • Residents

    Public access sticker, Illinois residents

    $11 for individual use by Illinois residents

    Official pagechecked 2026-09-30

  • Residents

    Illinois certificate of title

    This Act stipulated that all-terrain vehicles and off-highway motorcycles purchased on or after January 1, 1998 must apply for a $30 certificate of title.

    Official pagechecked 2026-09-30

  • Non-residents

    Public access sticker, non-residents

    $17 for rental units or non-residents from states that do not have a reciprocal agreement with the department

    Official pagechecked 2026-09-30

  • Everyone

    OHV public access sticker

    In addition to the titling fees that support the grant program, a public access sticker must also be purchased for every machine that is operated on a public OHV site.

    Official pagechecked 2026-09-30

The state program

Illinois OHV grant program and public access sticker, run by Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The OHV grant program was created as part of the Recreational Trails of Illinois Act signed into law by Governor Edgar on August 1, 1997.

Illinois OHV grant program and public access sticker, official pagechecked 2026-09-30

Before you go

Each place's own page has its current status, seasons, fees and which trails take which vehicles. Rules differ between places and change with fire danger, weather and race schedules, so read it on the day. Tracks set their own gear, age and entry rules.

Official maps

Near a state line? The nearest-places finder looks across every state.

Nothing on this page says anyone may ride anywhere: it points to the agencies that decide. A tag such as “Camping” means the quoted page says so, not that we have been there. Reviewed 2026-09-30.