Approximately $215,000 went into the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Fund in Fiscal Year 2025. The fund provides off-highway vehicle opportunities and helps repair damage directly related to off-highway vehicle use on Idaho endowment land. On January 1 of each year, every motorbike, ATV, UTV, or specialty off-highway vehicle (SOHV) operated on public or private land must have an OHV sticker to legally operate. One dollar of every registration fee goes to IDL for projects.
More than $71,000 went into the IDL Over Snow Vehicle (OSV) Fund in Fiscal Year 2025. The fund provides snowmobile opportunities and repairs damage directly related to snowmobile use on endowment land. One dollar of every snowmobile sticker goes to IDL for projects.
Endowment lands are different from other lands in Idaho as the priority is managing them for the long-term financial return to beneficiaries, primarily Idaho schools. Recreation opportunities are supported as a secondary use provided those activities do not degrade the lands, interfere with management activities, or otherwise negatively affect the long-term financial return to beneficiaries.
2025 OHV Fund Project Highlights
Pend Oreille: Hayes Gulch and Ruby Creek
Trail miles in Hayes Gulch increased by a little over a half mile to create better loop opportunities. A bull gate was purchased and installed to help regulate recreation seasonal use and the kiosk was maintained. Limiters were installed to allow 50” or less access around some of the road gates in Ruby Creek.
Southwest: Thorn Creek and Danskins
The Thorn Creek block near Idaho City had some of the trails resurfaced and water control installed to address maintenance challenges increased use. Mitigation projects were completed in Thorn Creek Block to curb unauthorized OHV use. A road gate was purchased and installed at the bottom of the Danskin Mountain Road, in the Danskin Block.
East Idaho: Kelly Canyon Project
Using volunteer efforts, Buck and Rail fencing was installed near Bowman Cabin to limit recreation trail use to 50” or less. Machinery was rented to assist with 6.6 miles of new trail construction and reroutes around the management block.
Security Patrols
The security patrol contractors and Idaho Department of Fish & Game monitored recreation use on endowment lands and enforced department recreation policy. They interacted with the recreating public to provide education on access and land management. Each year the security contracts assist with management, by documenting and reporting recreational impact observations. The information provided by IDFG and the security patrols are valuable to assist with addressing recreation management challenges.
2025 OSV Fund Project Highlights
Priest Lake: Lions Creek Parking Lot
Cost for development and construction of a new snowmobile parking lot a half mile up the road from Lions Head State Park. This parking lot addresses safety problems created by winter recreationists parking alongside the main road.
Pend Oreille: Boundary County Kiosk Maps
Reimbursement for grooming permit agreement, where IDL charges the county for snowmobile trail grooming. Costs for updating and printing kiosk map.
Payette: Snow poles
Snow poles were purchased for the Valley County grooming program to assist with identifying trail edges and under snow hazards.
Past Reports
- FY 2024 IDL Annual OHV Fund Report
- FY 2024 IDL Annual OSV Fund Report
- FY 2023 IDL Annual OHV Fund Report
- FY 2023 IDL Annual OSV Fund Report
- FY 2022 IDL Annual OHV Fund Report
- FY 2022 IDL Annual OSV Fund Report
- FY 2021 IDL Annual OHV Fund Report
- FY 2020 IDL Annual OHV Fund Report
- FY 2020 IDL Annual OHV Fund Report
- FY 2020 IDL OHV Trail Construction
- FY 2019 IDL Annual OHV Fund Report