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(NAPSI)-Off-roading is becoming a favorite American pastime, with more people jumping in their 4x4s and hitting the trails today than in the past. But off-road enthusiasts are quick to point out that their sport isn't just about gears, mud and fun-it's about protecting the areas they drive in. Here are ways to preserve your favorite trails for years to come.
Top Trails
The 2007 BFGoodrich Tires Outstanding Trails program recognizes five trails in the United States and this year adds Whipsaw Trail in British Columbia, Canada as its sixth trail. Launched in 2006, the program is dedicated to the responsible use and preservation of off-road trails while aiding in trail conservation efforts. The group will also educate off-road enthusiasts on the responsible use of each trail. Here's a closer look:
• Redbird State Riding Area, located between Greene and Sullivan counties in Indiana, offers great trails that are set up for all skill levels.
• The Rubicon Trail is nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, near Lake Tahoe, Calif., and is known as one of America's wildest off-road trails. The 22-mile-long route is part trail and part road and takes off-road enthusiasts on a journey of a lifetime.
• Tillamook, located in the Coast Range Mountains of northwest Oregon, provides beginners and experts with some of the best off-road trails in the Pacific Northwest.
• Poughkeepsie Gulch is one of the most scenic trails in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. It is known as one of the most difficult trails in the state and should be left to only the most experienced off-roaders.
• Whipsaw is a trail that crosses two mountains as it winds its way from the Hope-Princeton Highway in the southern mainland of British Columbia, Canada to the tiny village of Coalmont. The trail was once used as a mining road in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• "All Day Sucker" at Flat Nasty is best known to four-wheel drive enthusiasts as an obstacle paradise and offers over 800 acres of Ozark Mountain terrain in Jadwin, Mo. The large rock formations, steep hills and rocky creek beds are a perfect mix for off-road vehicles and someone looking for a challenge.
Tips From Tread Lightly!
1. Drive only where permitted. Always stick to designated trails and areas.
2. Cross large rocks and other obstacles slowly, at an angle, one wheel at a time. Always know where the differential or lowest point on the vehicle is.
3. Avoid riding in mud. In soft terrain, go easy on the gas to avoid wheel spin, which can cause rutting.
4. Straddle ruts, gullies and washouts even if they are wider than your vehicle.
5. Cross streams only at designated fording points or where the road crosses the stream.
6. Don't turn around on narrow roads, steep terrain or unstable ground. Back up until you find a safe place to turn around.
7. Don't ride in meadows or marshy areas and remember that areas designated as "Wilderness" do not allow motorized vehicles.
8. When winching, attach the towing cable, tree strap or chain as low as possible to the object being winched. Let the winch do the work; never drive the winch.
9. Pack out what you pack in.
10. If your trip calls for a night under the stars, minimize your impact by camping in established sites, camping 200 feet from water resources and trails, and minimizing use of fire.
For more information on trails and off-roading, as well as information and facts about the Outstanding Trails program, visit www.bfgoodrichtires.com/out standingtrails.