Getting Oriented
Glendive Short Pine OHV Area sits in hill country about seven miles south of downtown Glendive, in far eastern Montana near the North Dakota border. The Bureau of Land Management's Miles City Field Office manages the 2,800-acre property as a limited-use OHV area: motorized travel is restricted to the existing roads and trails that cross it, not open cross-country riding.
Trail Overview
The BLM describes the riding here as anything from an easy loop to a steep challenge, and that range holds up in practice. Trails run from graded, packed-dirt sections to steeper hill climbs worked into the local terrain, with a handful of open play areas. Online rider logs put the network at roughly 20 miles, weighted toward beginner and intermediate terrain with only a little truly expert-level riding, though the BLM itself hasn't published an official mileage figure.
Motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, and four-wheel-drive trucks and SUVs are all permitted, as long as the vehicle is registered (a license plate or OHV sticker) and fitted with an unmodified spark arrestor. OHVs that aren't street-legal can't use Marsh Road itself to reach the area, so riders without plates need a street-legal tow vehicle or trailer to get there.
Points of Interest
- A graveled staging area on the west side of Marsh Road, marked by a vault toilet and a small entrance sign
- An interpretive sign at the entrance with an area map and the site's rules
- A digital reference map of the trail network through Avenza Maps, linked from the BLM's own page
Where to Camp
There's no potable water and no designated campsites at Glendive Short Pine. Camping is dispersed: riders pick their own spot within the OHV boundary and pack out everything they bring in. Check current fire restrictions with the Miles City Field Office before visiting, especially in summer.
Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip
- Call the Miles City Field Office at 406-233-2800 for current trail and fire conditions before heading out.
- Riders and passengers 18 and under are required to wear a helmet.
- Bring a registered, spark-arrestor-equipped vehicle; non-street-legal OHVs can't travel Marsh Road to reach the staging area.
- Exploding targets, fireworks, tracers, and other pyrotechnics are prohibited on this BLM land.
- Stay on the existing roads and trails. The area borders private property, and cross-country riding isn't allowed.
Fuel and Water
There's no water source at the OHV area. Glendive, about seven miles north on Marsh Road, has the nearest fuel, food, and lodging.
Nearby
Makoshika State Park, Montana's largest state park at 11,538 acres, sits on the other side of Glendive. Its badlands expose the Hell Creek Formation, the fossil beds that have produced Triceratops, Edmontosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus rex remains; the park's visitor center displays fossils alongside its own hiking trails and campground. Glendive itself covers fuel, groceries, and motels for anyone based out of town rather than camping at the OHV area.
