McCurtain County has hundreds of miles
of forest roads for the off-road enthusiast. The Ouachita National Forest, Three
Rivers Wildlife Management, and Honobia Creek Wildlife Management
are the only areas available in the county for legal public off
highway vehicle use. A permit is required for the Three
Rivers Wildlife Management and Honobia Creek Wildlife Management
areas.
New ATV Laws (effective November 1, 2007)
A. It shall be unlawful for a person less than eighteen (18)
years of age to operate or to be carried as a passenger upon
an all-terrain vehicle unless the person wears a crash helmet of
a type which complies with standards established by 49 C.F.R.,
Section 571.218.
B. It shall be unlawful for the operator of an all-terrain vehicle
to carry a passenger unless that all-terrain vehicle has been
specifically designed by the manufacturer to carry passengers
in addition to the operator.
C. Fine and court costs for violating the provisions of this
section shall not exceed Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00). Any peace
officer of this state including, but not limited to, park rangers,
is authorized to enforce the provisions of this section. All
monies collected pursuant to a citation for a violation of this
section shall be deposited in the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation
Department Revolving Fund for credit to the cost center of the
state park or public recreation area where such citation was
issued.
D. Any parent, legal guardian or person having actual responsibility
for a person under eighteen (18) years of age, or who is the
owner of the all-terrain vehicle operated by a person under eighteen
(18) years of age, who knows, or should have known, that the
person operating the all-terrain vehicle is not in compliance
with the provisions of this section, shall be punishable according
to the provisions of subsection C of this section.
E. As used in this section, "all-terrain vehicle" means
a motorized vehicle manufactured and used exclusively for off-highway
use which is forty-eight (48) inches or less in width, with an
unladen dry weight of eight hundred (800) pounds or less, traveling
on two or more low-pressure tires, having a seat designed to
be straddled by the operator, and which is steered by the use
of handlebars.
F. The provisions of this section shall apply only to persons
operating all-terrain vehicles on public lands.
G. The provisions of this section shall not apply to persons
operating an all-terrain vehicle on privately owned property.
Other rules and regulations
All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Riding on the
Three
Rivers Wildlife Management Area
Frequently Asked Questions: 1. Where can I ride my ATVs?
The limited use of ATVs is allowed on the Three Rivers Wildlife
Management Area, which is
privately owned by Weyerhaeuser Company. To access the Three
Rivers Wildlife Management Area, a Land Access Fee permit is
required for each person. The permit is $16 for Oklahoma residents
between the ages of 18 and 64 and $25 for non-residents regardless
of age. 2. Where is the Three Rivers Wildlife Management
Area?
The Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area consists of 450,000
acres and is located in the northern half of McCurtain County,
Oklahoma. Numerous entry points are located along Highway 3,
Highway 70, and Highway 259. 3. Where is the Broken Bow Wildlife Management
Area?
The publication or website which suggests riding ATVs on the
Broken Bow Wildlife Management Area approximately 3 miles north
of Broken Bow is inaccurate. The Wildlife Management Area they
are referring to is the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area.
The Broken Bow Wildlife Management Area is the Corps of Engineers
buffer zone immediately surrounding Broken Bow Lake that is licensed
to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The use
of ATVs is strictly prohibited on land immediately surrounding
Broken Bow Lake. 4. Where are the trails located?
There are no trails in the Broken Bow area that are open and
legal for ATV use. Only maintained roads on the Three Rivers
Wildlife Management Area are open for motor vehicle traffic of
any type i.e. ATV, dirt bike, etc. No off-road use is available
in the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area. 5. Which roads are open for ATV use?
Off-highway vehicles (ATVs, dirt bikes, etc.) may be used on
open unpaved roads on the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area
that were constructed and intended for normal or regular motor
vehicle use.
A road is considered closed if there is a sign, gate, or other
barricade, including a dirt mound, blocking the road. Prior illegal
off-road use does not imply permission to ride off the open road.
As a general rule of thumb, if a car can travel the road easily
and without getting scratches from overhanging tree limbs then
the road is open for ATV travel. In addition, riding on powerline,
seismic line, pipeline, and railroad right-of-ways is prohibited. 6. How many miles of trails/roads are there to
ride?
There are no trails in the Broken Bow area that are open and
legal for ATV use. There are hundreds of miles of maintained
roads open for ATV travel on the Three Rivers Wildlife Management
Area. 7. Are there designated riding areas or can I ride
anywhere?
Open unpaved roads on the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area
that were constructed and intended for normal or regular motor
vehicle use are open for ATV riding. A road is considered closed
if there is a sign, gate, or other barricade, including a dirt
mound, blocking the road or is not suited for travel by normal
vehicles. 8. Are the trails/roads challenging or are they
relatively flat?
There are no trails in the Broken Bow area that are open and
legal for ATV use. The maintained roads open for ATV, dirt bike,
etc. use allow for travel over varying levels of terrain including
roads that are flat and slightly inclining to roads which are
moderately sloping. Most of the roads with very steep slopes
are closed with earthen mounds or water bars to address erosion
concerns. The roads closed with earthen mounds or water bars
are not open to ATV use. 9. What is the scenery like in the Broken Bow,
Oklahoma area?
The Broken Bow, Oklahoma area incorporates the Kiamichi Mountains
with pine and pine-oak, and oak-hickory forests. 10. Where can I park and unload my ATVs?
There are no designated parking areas; however, there are large
intersections, turnouts, etc. along all entry points that allow
for parking and unloading. Please choose to park and unload in
a location large enough to allow other road traffic to pass by
safely. Do not use a dirt mound that was designed to block a
road to unload an ATV. This erodes the mound and makes it appear
that it is open for ATV traffic. 11. Where can I purchase the Land Access Fee permit
to access the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area?
The Land Access Fee permit can be purchased at any place in Oklahoma
that sells hunting and fishing licenses or on-line at www.wildlifedepartment.com. 12. Is the Land Access Fee permit per vehicle,
per ATV, or will each person need to purchase one?
To access the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area, a Land Access
Fee permit is required for each person. The permit is $16 for
Oklahoma residents between the ages of 18 and 64 and $25 for
non-residents regardless of age. There are no group permits
or vehicle permits available. A $5 three-day permit is available
to Oklahoma residents for non-hunting and non-fishing activities
on the Three Rivers WMA. 13. How long is the Land Access Fee permit good
for?
The annual Land Access Fee permit is good for the remainder of
the calendar year in which it is purchased. 14. Do you have a one-day permit or a three-day
permit?
There is no one-day Land Access Fee permit. There is, however,
a three-day Land Access Fee permit for Oklahoma residents for
all non-hunting and non-fishing activities. The three-day permit
is not valid for anyone accessing the Three Rivers Wildlife Management
Area for hunting or fishing. 15. Do I need to check in somewhere before entering
into the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area?
No check in is required on the Three Rivers Wildlife Management
Area. Be sure to purchase the Land Access Fee permit before entering
the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area. 18. Do you have cabins for rent?
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation does not rent
out cabins. There are many private cabin owners that have cabins
for rent in the Broken Bow, Oklahoma area. Most of these cabin
owners have internet websites which show pricing and contact
information. 19. I would like to be able to rent a cabin and
ride my ATVs directly from the cabin to the trails. Is this possible?
There are no trails on the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area
that are open and legal for ATV use. In addition, the use of
ATVs on county roads or state highways is strictly forbidden
by state law. Vehicles allowed traveling on state highways or
county roads must be street legal and registered to operate on
public roads in compliance with Oklahoma State law Title 47.
Even if an ATV is registered and street legal in another state,
IT IS NOT street legal in Oklahoma. Unless a cabin owner has
a trail or road that immediately intersects a maintained road
on the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area, then it is against
state law to do so. There are extremely limited opportunities
to do this as most cabins are only accessible by a county road
or state highway. For this reason, it is recommended to trailer
your ATV to the area you wish to ride. 20. Are there campgrounds available?
Camping is allowed on the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area,
but there are no designated camping areas. Camping is prohibited
for more than 14 days in the same location. People wishing to
camp on these areas may choose to camp anywhere they find a nice
location, preferably an established campsite. There are
hundreds of established campsites already in place. Using an
established campsite reduces vegetation damage and habitat degradation.
For camping sites with water, electricity, and/or bathrooms contact
Beavers Bend State Park. 21. How far is Beavers Bend State Park from the
ATV riding area?
There are entry roads into the Three Rivers Wildlife Management
Area within just a few minutes’ drive from Beavers Bend
State Park. The majority of the Three Rivers Wildlife Management
Area is located north of Beavers Bend. Riding ATVs inside the
Beavers Bend Resort Park is prohibited. 22. Are there any restrictions on the types of
ATVs which are legal?
For now, there are no restrictions on the types of ATVs which
are legal to ride on the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area. 23. Is safety gear including safety helmet or eye
protection required?
Yes, children 18 years of age and under MUST wear a helmet when
while riding an ATV. The guardian or parent will be held
responsible if this law is not followed. No gear for those
over the age of 18 is required at this time. A safety helmet
is required if under 18 years old. 24. Do you rent ATVs or is there a place that does
rent ATVs?
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation does not rent
out ATVs. Some private cabin owners may rent ATVs. Refer to their
specific websites for more information. 25. Do you offer guided ATV rides?
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation does not offer
guided ATV rides. Some cabin owners may offer guided ATV rides:
HOWEVER, anyone offering or even advertising any type of guiding
service, including ATV rides, for money on a Wildlife Management
Area is in violation of State law. This includes guided
trips that are included in the price of a cabin. Both the person
offering the rides or guiding service and the participants are
subject to prosecution. 26. Where can I obtain a map showing the trails
and roads?
There are no trails on the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area
that are open and legal for ATV use. Maps of the Three Rivers
Wildlife Management Area are available from most vendors in the
Broken Bow Area that sell hunting and fishing licenses and from
the Broken Bow Chamber of Commerce. 27. Can I ride my ATV to Broken Bow Lake or Pine
Creek Lake?
NO. The Corps of Engineers maintains a"buffer" zone
around both lakes. Even if an open road goes to the lake, only
vehicles that are registered and licensed to operate on public
roads or highways are allowed in these areas. The Corps of Engineers
strictly prohibits ATV use in these areas and violators are subject
to Federal prosecution. 28. What will happen if the unlawful use of ATVs
and off-highway vehicles continues to be a problem on the Three
Rivers Wildlife Management Area?
The ODWC will continue to enforce the lawful use of ATVs and
other off-road motor vehicles. Violators will be ticketed. If
the unlawful use of ATVs and off-road vehicles continues to be
a problem, then very limited and/or seasonal use of ATVs or an
outright ban of ATVs may be necessary.
