by Donna Baylis | Mar 11, 2020 | Events
Walters Falls tract is closed until further notice
DGATV asks for your consideration
Please honour DGATV’s agreements and promises to protect landowners’ best interests. It is too wet to ride Walters Falls tract at this point without doing a lot of damage. Continuing to ride in the wet costs DGATV & OFATV money to repair the trails, which increases the cost of permits. Damaging the land also angers landowners, which loses trails. Please consider the future of ATVing in Ontario and stay out of Walters Falls tract for now.
Public trails are expected to open May 1st weather permitting.
ATV Season
Side by Sides
FAQs
by Donna Baylis | Jan 28, 2020 | Reference
Decades ago, the Government of Ontario opened the province to snowmobiles. That allowed the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) to be established in 1972 with a provincial mandate. The OFSC is an umbrella organization to all Ontario clubs allowing snowmobilers to use the extensive province wide system under one permit.
However, province-wide access did not happen for ATVs and side-by-sides. Instead the government deferred the decision as to whether off-road vehicles should be allowed to each local municipality with “no” as the default.
Provincial legislation regulating ATVs and side-by-sides is:
So each individual municipality has had to create a local by-law to address the issue of ATVs and side-by-sides. (It is advised that you research and read these by-laws before you ride. See other links.)
This fragmented approach led to establishment of several independent organizations such as:
Each organization has their own memberships and permits, administration and volunteers, to maintain their own trail system.
Dufferin Grey ATV Club (DGATV) is associated with the Ontario Federation of ATV Clubs (OFATV). An OFATV/DGATV membership allows riders to use the trails of all OFATV-associated clubs.
OFATV used to have a reciprocal riding agreement with EOTA but that was cancelled in 2018. (See news release.)
Today OFATV has provincial reciprocal riding agreements with New Brunswick All-Terrain Vehicle Federation (NBATVF) and Prince Edward Island ATV Federation (PEI ATV). (article)
Click here to buy an OFATV/DGATV permit or membership.
See also:
FAQs
by Donna Baylis | Nov 7, 2019 | Events
DGATV’s trail riding season is winding down, cut short by early snowfall.
In keeping with our land owner agreements: The CP Rail Trail in both Dufferin and Grey County is now closed due to snow cover. Please respect our agreements so we can continue use of the trail in the future.
Main trail routes stay open until November 30th except for Harkaway Forest, which closed to ATVs effective October 15th. Additionally, Grey County roads close to ATVs on November 15th.
Next Season
Looking ahead to the 2020 season, ATVing on the public trails generally starts around May 1st (weather-permitting) and stays open to November 30th or until snow cover, whichever comes first. Once the snow plows are out, ATV rider safety becomes an issue.
Exceptions are:
Harkaway Forest opens to ATVs mid-June and closes on October 15th.
Grey County roads opens to ATVs on May 1st and closes on November 15th.
Throughout our season and in between big feature rides, we gather for fun “flash” rides being quickly organized, little advertised rides convened over social media. If you are interested, check out our facebook page “Dufferin Grey ATV Club Inc.” and if you are an OFATV member, checkout our private facebook group “Dufferin Grey ATV Club (Group)” for more information. 
We are also available on Twitter and Instagram.
On the private trails at Walters Falls, ATVs can be used year-round. Riders must have an OFATV membership. It is recommended that appropriate safety precautions be taken in this remote location, especially in the winter. Tracks on your bike are recommended in winter. Ride with a companion and let people know where you are going. Cell phone service may not always be available. Note that when temperatures dip into the single digits or lower, riding an ATV becomes extremely cold similar to riding a snowmobile. Don’t forget to dress for the weather. More about what to wear for new riders.
Please keep an eye on our social media for information about riding in 2020, and in the meantime, enjoy your winter and holiday season!
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