OHV FAQs
Are Off Highway Vehicles (OHV or ATV) allowed in the Town of Silverton?
NO, as of October 12, 2021, the Town of Silverton Citizens voted NO to allowing OHV, ATV, or unlicensed dirt bikes in the Town limits.
Are OHVs allowed in San Juan County Colorado?
YES, on certain San Juan County Roads per SJC Resolution 2022-02. Not all SJC roads allow OHV access.
Where is it legal in San Juan County to park my trailer and load/unload my OHV?
Short term parking is allowed on certain San Juan County Roads if vehicle and trailer are COMPLETELY out of the traffic right of way. All wheels, bumpers and vehicle/trailer in general must not be in the lane of traffic, parked comfortably onto the wide shoulder of the road and is subject to being towed/ticketed if it is impeding lane of traffic. Not all San Juan County Roads have the ample shoulder room to legally park and therefore it is first come first serve with available wide road shoulder parking. Avoid private property or parking off trail/roads of any kind.
Do I need to have a permit to drive my OHV on San Juan County Roads?
YES, you must register your OHV or unlicensed dirt bikes with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and get a registration sticker that is visibly displayed on your OHV, ATV, or dirt bike. They are sold locally at The Whistle Stop Gas Station and the Silverton Grocery Store or get online at cpw.state.co.us.
Can I connect across the Town of Silverton between California pass/Gladstone to Eureka/Howardsville?
NO, there is no through traffic from SJC County Road 2 (Howardsville) over to SJC County Road 110 (headed out to Gladstone/California pass area). You must trailer your OHV across this area (see map). On April 12th , 2022, the SJC Commissioners voted to stop OHV access at Hancock Gulch which is 1.5 miles Northeast out SJC County Road 110 above the Town of Silverton. You can travel San Juan County Road 2 or 20 up to Silverton Lakes Campground which is just Northeast out of the Town of Silverton.
How close can I get to the Town of Silverton in my OHV and where can I park?
The closest access to the Town of Silverton is out SJC Road 2 or 20 which is right next to the Silverton Lakes Campground. All parking on SJC Roads is first come first serve and you must be completely on a road shoulder and out of the lane of traffic. Not all SJC Roads are wide enough to park and it is up to the OHV user to find a spot to park. There is no official staging area in San Juan County currently. Avoid private property and stay on the trail/road. All vehicles, tailers or OHVs violating the rules are subject to towing/ticketing.
What happens if I drive my OHV into the Town of Silverton town limits?
You are subject to a $300 fine and or towing per TOS Resolution 2022-07. As of October 12, 2021, the Silverton Citizens voted to no longer allow OHV access into the Town of Silverton per TOS Ordinance 2021-09.
What if my OHV is licensed from out of state?
The State of Colorado does not recognize out of state license plates for OHVs or ATVs as street legal. Colorado does not currently offer license plates for OHV’s or ATV’s but dirt bikes can become street legal.
Click here to download the latest OHV rules
OHV SPECIAL ELECTION - OCTOBER 3, 2023
TOWN OF SILVERTON – SPECIAL ELECTION ON OCTOBER 3rd, 2023
A Special Election for the Town of Silverton, Colorado will be held on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023, and will be conducted as a mail ballot election. Drop off and walk-in location for voted ballots and replacement ballots will be at Silverton Town Hall, 1360 Greene Street, Silverton, CO. \
Office hours are as follows: 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, the week prior to the election. Election Day office hours will be between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM
Ballots will be mailed on September 11th, 2023, to the registered mailing address on file with the State of Colorado.
All ballots must be returned to the Town of Silverton Municipal Clerk no later than 7:00 P.M. on Election Day, Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023. No voting devices will be provided at any location.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS TO VOTE IN THE ELECTION:
- Must be eighteen (18) years of age.
- Shall be a citizen of the United States.
- Shall have resided in this State for thirty (30) days and in the municipal election precinct for thirty (30) days immediately preceding the election at which the person offers to vote.
- Must be registered to vote.
At such election, the following one (1) ballot question will be submitted to the voters as follows:
- Shall a route be established to allow the use of off-highway vehicles on streets in the town of Silverton allowing for off-highway vehicle access to businesses and trail-head access?
A “YES” Vote would allow OHV use on the route listed in the accompanying material.
A “NO” Vote would maintain the status quo, prohibiting OHV use on all streets, alleys, and rights of way within Town of Silverton limits.
For more information, please contact Melina Marks Lanis, Town Clerk at elections@silverton.co.us
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED INITIATIVE:
The initiative is intended to propose an amendment to Section 8-3-30 and the establishment of subsequent sections of the Silverton Municipal Code to address operation of Off-Highway Vehicles (hereby referred to as OHVs) on certain Town of Silverton streets.
Off-highway vehicles are defined in Sec. 8-3-10 of the Silverton Town Code as “any self-propelled vehicle which is designed to travel on wheels or tracks in contact with the ground, which is designed primarily for use off of the public highways, and which is generally, and commonly used to transport persons for recreational purposes.” Off-highway vehicles do not include vehicles designed and used primarily for travel on, over or in the water, snowmobiles. military vehicles; golf cars; vehicles designed and used to carry disabled persons; vehicles designed and used specifically for agricultural, logging or mining purposes; vehicles registered pursuant to Article 3 of Title 42, C.R.S.
The current Town of Silverton Municipal Code prohibits the use of OHVs on all Town of Silverton streets, alleys, and rights-of-way.
This initiative proposes to establish the following streets for OHV use:
- The portion of Greene Street from 7th Street to Town Limits connecting with County Road 2
- The segments of County Road 2 and County Road 110a that cross into Town Limits
- The portion of Blair from Greene Street to Town Limits connecting with County Road 2
- The portion of Blair Street between 10th Street and 14th Street
- The Portion of 7th Street from Reese Street to Mineral Street
- The portion of Mineral Street and Cement Street from 5th, 6th, and 7th street to access RV parks contained within that loop.
- The portion of 9th Street from Greene Street to Empire Street
- The portion of 10th Street from Greene Street to Blair Street
- The portion of 11th Street from Greene Street to Blair Street
- The portion of 12th Street from Greene Street to Blair Street
- The portion of 13th Street from Greene Street to Blair Street
- The portion of 14th Street from Greene Street to Town Limits connecting with County Road 33
The ordinance in this initiative further allows for the Town Board of Trustees to expand the OHV route at their discretion.