Price County ATV Trails: Where to Ride, and Where to Park Yo

Price County ATV Trails: Where to Ride, and Where to Park Your Muddy Boots After

Last updated: June 2026

By Ripsaw Saloon Staff | Prentice, Wisconsin

Price County runs over a hundred miles of maintained ATV trails across its 1,278 square miles of forest, farmland, and lake country. Riders come from Chicago, the Twin Cities, and all over Wisconsin to hit these routes. But here’s what the trail maps don’t tell you: which direction you point your handlebars matters less than where you park when you’re done. We’ve been serving riders at Ripsaw Saloon long enough to know the real question isn’t “which trail is best?” It’s “which trail ends somewhere good?”

The Trail System Nobody Talks About Enough

Price County’s ATV trail network connects Prentice, Phillips, Ogema, Kennan, Catawba, and the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Local trail clubs handle the year-round maintenance — volunteers who groom, sign, and negotiate with landowners to keep routes open. They don’t get enough credit for it.

The county opened its roads to ATV traffic years ago. You can ride from Prentice to Phillips entirely on county roads, and from there connect to hundreds of miles of dedicated trail. That’s not common everywhere in Wisconsin. A lot of counties still fight ATV road access. Price County got it right early.

Why Riders Keep Coming Back to the Tuscobia State Trail

The Tuscobia is the backbone of Price County riding. 74 miles of rail-grade trail running from Park Falls west to Rice Lake. It cuts right through the county, and it’s the kind of trail that rewards you for knowing where to get off. The surface is crushed limestone and gravel , fast enough for a good ride, flat enough that you’re not white-knuckling it the whole time.

What the Tuscobia trail maps miss: the spur that drops you into Prentice puts you three minutes from our front door. Riders who know this route plan their day around it . 30 miles of morning riding, lunch at Ripsaw, another 20 in the afternoon, back for a drink before sunset. We see the same groups every season, and we’ve learned their orders.

The Flambeau River State Forest Connector

South of Prentice, the Flambeau River State Forest has its own set of ATV routes that connect to the county trail system. These are tighter, more technical trails than the Tuscobia. More mud, more dips, more trees right up against the trail. They’re fun in a different way.

The forest trails empty out near Oxbo, where the Flambeau River runs fast. It’s good fishing country. Some riders bring a rod along with their cooler , there are spots along the river accessible from the ATV trails that see almost no foot traffic. That’s the kind of local knowledge that all the generic trail guides skip.

What to Know Before You Ride in Price County

Trail Passes and Registration

Wisconsin requires ATVs to be registered with the DNR. Out-of-state riders need a non-resident trail pass . $20 for a 5-day pass, available at most gas stations in the county, including the BP on Railroad Avenue in Prentice. You can also buy them online through the Wisconsin DNR website. If you’re from out of state, buy the pass. The trail clubs rely on that money for maintenance.

Season Dates That Actually Matter

The official riding season varies by trail section, but practically speaking, trails are open from late April through November, with peak conditions in June, September, and October. July and August are rideable but dusty. May is mud season , fun if you’re prepared, miserable if you’re not.

Winter riding opens December through March for snowmobiles. ATVs are mostly off the trails by then. Don’t be the person who tries to force an ATV down a snowmobile trail in January. The clubs will not appreciate it, and honestly neither will anyone else.

What to Bring

Bug spray. The mosquitoes don’t mess around from June through August. We buy ours by the case.
Cash. A lot of trail-adjacent bars and gas stations are cash-preferred. Ripsaw takes cards, but some of the smaller spots along the Tuscobia don’t.
A change of shoes. The trails kick up dust and mud. We don’t care about muddy boots at the bar, but you might want something clean for sitting down to eat.
Rain gear. Northwoods weather changes in 20 minutes. We’ve seen sunny mornings turn into downpours by 2pm.

The Unofficial Price County Trail-to-Bar Map

The DNR won’t publish this. But here’s where the trails actually connect to places worth stopping:

Prentice: Ripsaw Saloon (1117 Railroad Ave)

We’re the closest full bar and kitchen to the Prentice trailhead. Pull off the Tuscobia spur, head down Railroad Avenue, and park in our lot. Menu’s simple: wings, burgers, Friday specials, and drinks poured the Wisconsin way. No frills, no pretension, no judgment if you show up covered in trail dust.

Phillips: Elk Lake Park Bar & Grill

About 15 minutes east on the county trails from Prentice. Right on Elk Lake, which means you can eat a burger and watch the sunset over the water. One of the few spots where you can park your ATV, grab a table, and not feel like you’re holding up the bar because you want to sit down for a while.

Kennan: Kennan Tavern

If “dive bar with character” is what you’re after, this is it. Small, cash-only, and the kind of place where the bartender knows every regular by name. The pizza’s better than you’d expect from a bar that seats maybe 15 people. Trail access is easy , it’s right on the county road route.

Ogema: The Thirsty Otter

Newer spot, locally owned. Trail access directly from the Tuscobia. Good selection of Wisconsin beers on tap. Works well as a midday stop if you’re riding the full length of the Tuscobia.

ATV Trail Etiquette (Northwoods Edition)

Wave at oncoming riders. Not a head nod. A wave. Two fingers off the handlebar is standard. If you don’t wave, people notice.
Slow down through towns. The speed limit on county roads applies to ATVs too. Cruising through Ogema or Prentice at 50mph is a good way to get the town board to reconsider ATV road access.
Don’t drink and ride. We’re a bar. We want your business. But we want you alive to come back. Drink after the ride, not during it. Take the keys, have a drink, call someone if you need to.
Stay on marked trails. The trails go where they go for a reason. Wandering onto private land isn’t exploring , it’s trespassing. The trail clubs negotiate with landowners every year to keep routes open. Don’t make their job harder.
Pack out what you pack in. The clubs clean up after ride season every year and what they find is ridiculous. Beer cans, wrappers, sometimes worse. Bring a small bag.

The Ride-to-Eat Culture Is Real

ATV riding in the Northwoods isn’t just about the trails. It’s a social activity. Groups plan their routes around where they’re going to eat lunch and where they’re stopping for a drink on the way back. We’ve seen groups of 15 pull into our lot, coordinated, with someone who mapped the whole day out including the rest stops. That’s the Northwoods ATV culture in a nutshell: the ride matters, but the stops matter more.

If you’ve never done a full day of trail riding followed by a hot meal at a bar that knows your name, you haven’t gotten the full experience. That’s the combination that brings people back year after year. The trails change a little each season , new routes open, old ones get rerouted , but the good bars stay the same. That’s the point.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are ATVs allowed on roads in Price County?

Yes. Price County permits ATVs and UTVs on most county highways. Some town roads have specific restrictions, so check posted signs. The county was an early adopter of ATV road access, which is one reason the trail system here feels so connected.

Where can I get an ATV trail pass in Price County?

Gas stations throughout the county sell them, including the BP on Railroad Avenue in Prentice. Out-of-state riders pay $20 for a 5-day non-resident trail pass. You can also buy them online from the Wisconsin DNR website, but the in-person option is faster.

What’s the best time of year to ride ATV trails in Price County?

June is peak , trails are dry, bugs are manageable, and the weather holds. September and October are excellent for fall colors. Avoid May if you don’t like mud, and July-August are dusty but still rideable. Winter is for snowmobiles.

What bars near the Tuscobia State Trail are ATV accessible?

Ripsaw Saloon in Prentice (trailhead is minutes away), Elk Lake Park Bar & Grill in Phillips, Kennan Tavern, and the Thirsty Otter in Ogema all have easy trail access and welcome riders. Most have parking for ATVs and don’t mind the mud.

Do I need a special license to operate an ATV in Wisconsin?

Operators born on or after January 1, 1988 need a valid ATV safety certificate. If you’re from out of state, Wisconsin recognizes certificates from other states. Adults born before 1988 don’t need the certificate.

Are there guided ATV tours in Price County?

Not formally, but local riders are happy to share route tips if you ask. The trail system is well-marked , you don’t need a guide to handle it. A GPS or phone with offline maps helps for the more remote sections, especially in the Flambeau River State Forest where cell service gets spotty.

Price County ATV Trails: Where to Ride, and Where to Park Your Muddy Boots After