ROLLA, Mo.— The heat of summer has broken, making way for cooler temperatures and more outdoor exploration for many areas of Mark Twain National Forest, including the Chadwick Off-Highway-Vehicle (OHV) Riding Area. The Chadwick OHV Riding Area has more than 70 miles of trails to explore. Motorcycles, ATVs, and UTVs less than 50 inches in width can ride the trails with Forest Service OHV permit, and as long as the vehicles are safe to operate and the driver understands the rules of trail riding.
Permits are available in person, via email/phone, via mail, or online (daily permits only). Each vehicle that will be ridden must have a permit. To obtain the Chadwick OHV permit from the Forest Service, please download, fill out, and sign the OHV Registration Form prior to requesting the permit(s). The OHV Registration Form can be found online. From the home page at www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf, go to the “Visit Us” tab, then choose “Passes and Permits”, and from there choose “Recreation Passes”. The form is linked under the OHV area of the page.
- In Person – bring the completed form(s) with you to the Ava Office or the Casey’s General Store on the west side of Sparta. Please call the Casey’s General Store before you go to ensure they have the permit(s) you need on hand.
- Via Email/Phone – email the completed form(s) to Emily Ficker – emily.ficker@usda.gov – or Tonya Martin – tonya.martin@usda.gov – at the Ava Office. Please include your phone number so they can call you for payment. Please allow at least 10 business days for your permit(s) to arrive in the mail.
- Via Mail – send the completed form(s) to the Ava Office, along with the payment – or your phone number so you can be called for payment. Please allow at up to 10 business days for your registration form to arrive at the Ava Office and another 10 business days for your permit to arrive after the permit has been processed. Address: Mark Twain National Forest; ATTN: OHV Permit Request; 1006 S. Jefferson St.; Ava, MO 65608
- Online – DAILY PERMITS ONLY – The daily permits are available at www.recreation.gov. Type “Chadwick” into the search bar and the daily permits will be shown. Please ensure you are putting the correct dates for when you will be riding in the system, as permits are not transferrable to other date(s).
For any questions regarding the Chadwick OHV Riding Area and the permits required, please contact the Ava Office at (417) 683-4428. Enjoy your visit to Mark Twain National Forest!