Clarke Mountain OHV Trail System
The Clarke Mountain OHV Trail System is a 25-mile designated OHV network in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest in Clearwater County, northern Idaho, approximately 23 miles from Pierce, one of the historic gold rush towns of the Idaho Panhandle, where the first major Idaho gold discovery occurred in 1860. The Cottonwood Creek trailhead on Forest Road 250 serves as the primary access point for the system, staging in the mixed-conifer forest typical of the northern Idaho Panhandle: Douglas fir, western red cedar, grand fir, and ponderosa pine on the lower slopes transitioning to subalpine species on the upper ridges of the Clearwater Mountains. Clarke Mountain's trail character is distinctly northern Idaho: dense forest single-track through timber that can reduce sight distances and increase the technical demands of the corridor, moderate to challenging terrain that rewards riders seeking wooded forest riding over open-country desert systems, and the cooler temperatures of the Clearwater Mountains that extend riding comfort into summer months when the southern Idaho desert systems are baking. ATVs, UTVs, and motorcycles are all permitted on designated routes. Dispersed camping is available throughout the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest under standard 14-night limits. No day-use fee; Idaho OHV registration is required for all machines on state and national forest land. Seasonal snow closures affect upper elevation sections from approximately November through April (208-476-4541).