Hubbard Mesa near Rifle is BLM land set aside for off-road riding

Just north of Rifle, Hubbard Mesa is a piece of BLM land set aside largely for off-highway-vehicle use. It has a network of trails for dirt bikes, ATVs, and four-wheel-drive rigs, ranging from easy two-track to tougher single-track, plus a parking area with restrooms and loading ramps.

It is not a free-for-all, though. Riders are expected to stay on the trail system within the designated open area; driving cross-country outside it is not allowed. On the trails, motorized users yield to people on foot and on horseback. Cattle graze here too, so the BLM asks visitors not to approach livestock or the guard dogs that protect them.

Hubbard Mesa is also a well-known spot for target shooting on public land. If you shoot here, the rules are common sense and required: have a safe backstop so bullets stop in the dirt, never shoot toward roads or people, and pack out every bit of target trash, including shells and broken targets.

Off-highway vehicles ridden here need proper registration, and out-of-state riders need a non-resident permit.

Because uses overlap, stay alert for other riders and shooters. For trail maps, current rules, and registration details, see the Bureau of Land Management’s Hubbard Mesa page.