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Riding Off The Ranch

ORV permit guide

You do not need a permit to ride here. You do need one the moment you leave our gate for a county road or a national forest trail. Here is which one, what it costs, and where to get it.

Last updated September 2026. Fees are set by the counties and the Forest Service and can change.

Before you go

A permit covers a vehicle, not a rider, and most of them are good for longer than your stay.

What every permit asks for

  • Valid photo ID
  • Proof of insurance on the machine
  • Vehicle details: make, model, and serial or VIN number

On our land you need nothing. No permit is required to ride the trails and pasture at Sinking Creek Ranch. Everything below applies once you cross onto a county road or into Mark Twain National Forest.

County road permits

You need a county permit to ride any three digit county road. Which county depends on which direction you head, and plenty of rides cross more than one.

CountyCostGood forWhere
Reynolds$10One yearBuy it from us at check in, or the county courthouse in Centerville
Dent$20Life of the vehicleDent County Clerk in Salem
Shannon$20Life of the vehicleShannon County Clerk in Eminence, by mail

The easy one: we keep Reynolds County permits at the ranch. Ask when you check in and we will sort it out there.

The one to plan ahead for: Shannon County can mail the permit to you, or to us before you arrive. Call them a couple of weeks out.

Forest Service trail permits

Riding the Sutton Bluff ATV, UTV and motorcycle trails in Mark Twain National Forest needs a USDA Forest Service permit, which is separate from any county permit.

PermitCostWhere
Daily$7Buy online from the Forest Service
Annual$45Same place. Worth it at seven days of riding.

Useful Forest Service pages

Three things people get wrong

  • A county permit does not cover the national forest, and a Forest Service permit does not cover county roads. Long rides usually need both.
  • Roads and trails close seasonally, for weather and for logging. Check before you load up.
  • Your machine needs a working muffler and a USFS approved spark arrestor for national forest trails. This is the one that turns people around at the trailhead.

Riding rules

These apply on our land and off it. The first one is not a suggestion.

Required, everywhere, no exceptions

  • Helmets for every rider and every passenger, adults and children alike.
  • No riding in the creek or any stream. Ford only at a crossing. That one is Missouri law, on our land and off it.
  • No passengers on an ATV built for one rider.
  • Seat belts where the machine has them.
  • All operators and passengers must meet the manufacturer's minimum age and size requirements.
  • Anyone under 16 rides under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian.
  • No alcohol for anyone operating a machine.

Out on the trail

  • Stay on open routes and obey every sign, gate and barrier.
  • Ride at a controlled speed, and watch for oncoming traffic on hills and blind curves.
  • Pack it in, pack it out. No glass containers.
  • Working muffler and a USFS approved spark arrestor.

On the ranch itself, add a 15 mph limit near campsites, daylight riding only unless we say otherwise, and no riding during quiet hours. Those and the rest are on the rules and policies page.

Not sure which permit you need?

Tell us where you want to ride and we will tell you what to buy and where. It is usually a five minute answer.

Call (573) 282-6203