General Information

Marathon County ATV/UTV Routes can now be viewed online as a GIS mapping layer. Routes are roadways that have been approved for ATV/UTV use by Townships/Villages or Marathon County. Currently, there is not an established route/roadway that allows access through the entire County. Riders must plan their trips and ensure they are traveling on approved routes/roadways.  To view the GIS map layer follow the below steps. This link can be opened from a smartphone but the screens will look different because of the operating systems, however, the "Recreation" section will still be located in the "Layers" tab. When notifications are made to the County regarding newly opened routes, this mapping layer is then updated to reflect those changes

1. Click on this link to get to the Marathon County GIS web mapping.
2. Once you access the County mapping page, look on the bottom left side of the screen and click the "Layers" tab.
3. Locate and expand the "Recreation" tab where you will see the Snowmobile Tails layer and ATV/UTV Roads layer.
4. Check the box for the "ATV/UTV Roads" layer to see which roads are open to ATV/UTV use throughout the County.

The map located in the section below has additional information which is not shown on the County GIS web mapping.

Riders are responsible for ensuring they are traveling on approved routes/roadways as shown by the above resources.

Townships and Village Routes/Roadways

Some Marathon County townships and villages have opened their local roads to All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTVs). The map below identifies which townships and villages have met the legal requirements for opening roads to ATVs and UTVs. These legal requirements include establishing or adopting an ordinance regulating ATVs/UTVs, notifying all law enforcement agencies having jurisdiction over the roadways, and posting ATV/UTV Route signs on designated roads. ATV/UTV Routes may not include County or State Highways unless authorized by the County Highway Department or the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. County and State Highways may be crossed perpendicularly at intersections or designated ATV/UTV Route crossings. Remember to check with each municipality before you ride to avoid roads closed to ATVs/UTVs.

Keep in mind that these routes/roadways are not a public trail system, are not funded trails and are not managed or maintained by Marathon County. At this time hard copies of maps are not available. For the most accurate information please contact the township or village directly with ATV/UTV Route/roadway questions.

Marathon County Township/Village ATV & UTV Route Map

The above map can be downloaded on a computer or smartphone. The map detail is limited as road names are not shown.

County Routes/Roadways

The majority of County roads are now open/posted as being a designated route. There are still sections of County roads that do not allow ATV/UTV use. Please see the above PDF file/map showing these sections of OPEN roadways. Operating an ATV/UTV on a County road is only permitted on those sections that are posted as a designated ATV/UTV Route. The speed limit for ATV/UTV use on the approved routes/roadways is 35 mph. Riders are encouraged to know their routes prior to planning a trip or driving on unfamiliar roads. Local signs that state "All township/village roads open to ATV/UTV use" do not include County or State roads.

Designated ATV/UTV Route signs are shown below. Before an ATV or UTV may be operated on either a trail or route, the vehicle must meet the DNR's definition of an ATV or UTV and must be registered appropriately.