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U.S. Department of the Interior 

Bureau of Land Management 

Rice Cany Off-Highway V e h. 1c I e Area on

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Protect your public lands and 

resources by staying on 

designated routes and trails! 

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The Rice Canyon Off-highway Vehicle 

(OHV) Open Area lies within the 

Antelope/Shaffer/Bald Mountain 

Special Recreation Management 

Area (SRMA). The open OHV area is 

about 10 miles from Susanville, CA 

and consists of 120 acres of public 

land managed primarily for OHV use. 

It is open to all types of vehicles 

such as four-wheel drive vehicles, allterrain vehicles (ATV), utility terrain 

vehicles (UTV) and motorcycles. The 

area provides excellent opportunities 

for novice riders to improve their 

skills on the loop trails and for 

experienced riders looking for steep 

hill-climb opportunities. All OHV use 

beyond the open area is limited to 

designated routes and trails. 

Camping/Water 

Camping is allowed on public lands for up to 14 

consecutive days, however, developed campsites 

are not provided, and potable water is not available. 

Also, the dumping of grey or black wastewater is 

illegal. 

Campfires 

Campfires are allowed with a current campfire 

permit, but seasonal fire restrictions may prohibit 

campfires during periods of high fire danger. 

Remember to always put your campfire completely 

out! To acquire a campfire permit or learn current 

fire restrictions, contact the Eagle Lake Field Office. 

Safety 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 

public lands for multiple uses, so be aware of other 

visitors and your surroundings. Always let someone 

know where you are going and when you expect to 

return. Visitors should be aware of potential wildlife 

dangers in the area, such as mountain lions and 

rattlesnakes. 

Required OHV Safety Training 

Enroll youth riders in the required ATV training. 

For more information, visit: 

ATV Safety Institute 

Phone: (800) 887-2887 

www.atvsafety.org 

California Motorcyclist Safety Program 

Phone: (877) 7 43-3411 

www.ca-msp.org 

Sound Compliance Information: 

If your OHV was Noise Limit 

m

Regulations 

This guide does not include every California OHV 

law. Please remember, it is your responsibility to 

know the laws. For more information, contact the 

California Department of Motor Vehicles or visit 

www.dmv.ca.gov. 

• Visitors are responsible for knowing area rules 

and regulations, which are enforceable under 

the Code of Federal Regulations. Violations 

are punishable with fines up to $1,000 and/or 

imprisonment for up to 12 months. 

Vehicle use is limited to designated routes 

except within the Rice Canyon OHV open area 

boundary. 

• All OHVs must have proper registration 

(a green or red sticker or street legal license). 

Out-of-state vehicles must be legally registered 

in another state and display a California 

Nonresident OHV Use Permit. For more 

information or to purchase a nonresident permit, 

visit ohv.parks.ca.gov. 

• All off-road vehicles must have a properly 

installed spark arrestor that is approved by the 

U.S. Forest Service and has not been modified. 

• It is illegal to ride or drive under the influence of 

alcohol, narcotics, or other drugs. 

• State law requires the use of helmets while 

riding ATVs. 

• State law prohibits passengers on ATVs unless 

the A TV was specifically designed for two or 

more people. 

• All vehicles must meet state and federal noise 

standards.

Firearm Regulations 

Fish and Game Code (FGC) 3004. (a) It is unlawful 

for any person, other than the owner, person in 

possession of the premises, or a person having 

the express permission of the owner or person in 

possession of the premises, to hunt or to discharge

while hunting, any firearm or other deadly weapon 

within 1 50 yards of any occupied dwelling house, 

residence, or other building or any barn or other 

outbuilding used in connection therewith. The 

150-yard area is a •safety zone." 3004. (b) It 

is unlawful for any person to intentionally 

discharge any firearm or release any arrow 

or crossbow bolt over or across any public 

road or way open to the public, in an unsafe

manner. 

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 8365.2-

5 Public health, safety and comfort. On 

developed recreation sites and areas, unless 

otherwise authorized, no person shall: (a) 

Discharge or use firearms, other weapons, or 

fireworks. 

For hunting regulations, contact the California 

Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

Shooting Safety 

Target shooting and hunting are generally 

allowed on SLM-administered public lands, as 

long as it is done in a safe manner, without 

damaging natural resources or improvements 

on public lands. Please follow this guidance

during your recreational shooting experience: 

• Never shoot from or over any road or 

highway. 

• Shooting is prohibited within any 

developed recreation site or trailhead . 

• Always use a safe backdrop. 

• Glass and exploding targets are prohibited. 

• Do not use plastic pellets, tracer rounds, 

exploding rounds, or steel-core rounds. 

• Do not attach targets to plants or place 

targets against rocks, plants, or solid 

objects. It is illegal to deface or destroy 

trees, signs, outbuildings, or other objects 

on federal lands. 

• Carry in your targets and carry out all 

litter; brass and shell casings. All targets, 

shell casings, debris and trash must be

removed.

• During fire season, some areas may be

closed to target shooting. 

See the Rice Canyon and Surrounding Area 

Map on the other side of this brochure for

commonly used target shooting locations. 

anufactured: 

Before January 1, 1986 101 dbA 

On or after 96dbA January 1, 1986 

If your competition* 

OHVwas Noise Limit 

manufactured: 

Before January 1, 1998 101 dbA 

On or after 96dbA January 1, 1998 

For more information contact: 

Bureau of Land Management 

Eagle Lake Field Office 

2550 Riverside Dr. 

Susanville, CA 96130 

(530) 257-0456 

www.blm.gov/visit/rice-canyon 

Let someone know 

where you are going and 

when you expect to return! 

Operations and maintenance of facilities, roads, 

and trails within the recreation area are funded in 

part, by the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle 

Recreation Division. For more California State Parks 

information, visit their website at ohv.parks.ca.gov. 

Trash 

Trash dumping is illegal, damaging to wildlife and 

habitat, and expensive to clean up. Please help 

keep your public lands clean. To participate in 

an organized cleanup event or to report a trash 

dumping, contact the Eagle Lake Field Office at 

(530) 257-0456. 

Private Land 

Please respect all private property postings, and 

gain permission to cross private lands. Keep in 

mind, the Rice Canyon open area is adjacent to a 

residential area. Follow all posted speed limits and 

respect homeowners. 

Sierra Sportsmen Club 

Shooting Range 

The Sierra Sportsmen Club is located at 

478-505 Brier Patch Road off Rice Canyon Road. 

The area is approximately 2 miles north of the Rice 

Canyon Open OHV Area. The range is managed in 

partnership with the BLM, Lassen County and the 

Sierra Sportsmen Club. The club is a registered 

National Rifle Association, California Rifle and 

Pistol Association, and Single Action Shooting 

Society club. For more information, visit their 

website at www.sierrasportsmen.com or contact 

the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office at 

530-257-0456. 

*Competition OHVs are not manufactured to comply 

with Environmental Protection Agency noise or 

California emission standards. Refer to your owner's 

manual, or contact your local dealer to determine 

the designation of your OHV. If you would like to set 

up an appointment to have your ATV or motorcycle 

tested for sound compliance, contact the Eagle 

Lake Field Office at {530) 252-5303. 

Trail Riding & Safety Tips 

PLAN SMART!

• Purchase and use required safety gear! 

• Let others know where you are riding and when 

you plan to return. 

• Always plan ahead. Obtain all required maps, and 

bring overnight emergency supplies. 

Never ride alone! 

• Stay on designated trails. Restoration of 

damaged areas is often paid with tax dollars and 

can lead to trail closures. 

• Maintain vehicles and equipment in safe and 

optimal operating condition. 

• Act responsibly and have respect for other 

recreation users and natural and cultural 

resources. 

Ride cautiously. Trail conditions change 

constantly, so be ready for anything!

Tips on Leaving a Good Impression! 

• Respect wildlife and plant species-the area is 

their home. Help keep the area open by staying 

on roads and trails. 

Keep your machine as quiet as possible. Noise 

is one of the biggest complaints by landowners 

and other recreationists. 

• Do not destroy or remove cultural and historical 

resources. 

• Be conscientious and minimize your impact by 

avoiding plants and wildlife, taking your trash 

home, and respecting other users on the trail. 

For more information about the tread lightly! 

program, visit www.treadlightly.org/. 

Right Rider Etiquette 

The future availability of the OHV trail system 

in Rice Canyon depends on you! Always yield to

other users. Show respect when meeting others 

by slowing down or stopping. Use hand signals 

to indicate how many riders are following 

you. The Rice Canyon open area is managed 

for multiple uses, and the trails run both ways. 

Anticipate hunters, target shooters, hikers, 

horseback riders, mountain bikers, and other 

OHV enthusiasts using this area. Please ride 

responsibly, and share the open area! 

Wildlife 

Help protect the habitat of mule deer; pronghorn, 

and other wildlife species by staying on designated 

trails and not crushing plants. For more information 

on mule deer, pronghorn, or other species, contact 

the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at 

{530) 254-6808, or visit their website at 

www.wildlife.ca.gov.

Pronghorn 

The pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) is

distinguished by its horns, which are composed 

of slender, laterally flattened blades of bone

that grow from the frontal bone of the skull 

and form permanent cores that develop into 

keratinous sheaths; the horns are shed and 

regrown yearly. The pronghorn is also known 

as the prong buck, pronghorn antelope, or 

antelope, and can run exceptionally fast and

sustain high speeds longer than cheetahs. 

Pronghorn feed on a variety of vegetation such 

as low-lying shrubs, native grasses, and forbs. 

They occupy low-structured sagebrush habitats 

and some natural meadow areas. Prior to 

Euro-American settlement, the pronghorn was 

one of the most abundant big game species in 

California. However, by 1923 only about 1,000 

remained due to adverse land use practices and 

unregulated hunting. Pronghorn numbers have 

increased slightly over the last 25 years but are 

still low in Lassen County. 

Mule Deer

The mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is distinctive 

by its black-tipped tail and bifurcated, or forked, 

antlers. Each year; a buck's antlers start to grow 

in spring and are shed after mating season, from 

mid-January to mid-April. A mule deer's ears move 

constantly and independently, which contributed 

to the name •mule" deer. Mule deer bucks have 

somewhat more prominent ears than females. Their 

peculiar bounding leap, called stotting, allows them 

to cover distances up to 8 yards, with all four feet 

coming down together. During the winter, most 

mule deer leave the mountains and enter the valleys 

where there is less snow cover. 

Directions to Rice Canyon 

from Susanville, California 

From Susanville, take CA-36 E/Main Street toward 

Reno, Nevada. Turn left onto County Highway 

A27/Johnstonville Road. Veer left onto County 

Highway A27/Center Road. Make a left onto Rice 

Canyon Road, and follow to the Rice Canyon OHV 

open area. 

Directions to Rice Canyon 

from Reno, Nevada 

From US-395 North, turn left onto Leavitt Lane. 

Make a left on County Highway A27 /Center Road. 

Take the first right onto Rice Canyon Road, and 

follow to the Rice Canyon OHV open area. 

Banner Lassen Medical Center 

Emergency IRoom 

1800 Spring Ridge Dr. 

Susanville, CA 

(530) 252-2000 

Emergencies 

DIAL 911 

ON LAND AND WATER 
Rice Canyon and Surrounding Area Map 

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Antelope/Shaffer/Bald Mountain Special Recreation Management Area: 

Rice Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle Area 

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RICE CANYON 

Open OHV Area 

Trail Map 

I I I I i Gravel Road 

County Road 

OHVTrail 

Intermittent Stream 

OHV Parking & 

Staging Area 

Picnic/Camping Area 

Vault Toilet 

Kids Track 

BLM 

Private 

Recommended 

Trails & Tracks

Easy -••·(Practice loops 

for Novice Riders} 

-11 

More Difficult (Steep 

downhill with jumps) 

More Difficult 

--

(To Antelope 

Mountain and Hwy 139) 

- •

Most Difficult (Maximum 

Vehicle Width 55 inches) 

Rice Canyon 

Off-Highway Vehicle Area 

OHV Trailhead 

The Rice Canyon Open OHV area offers day-use 

and camping opportunities. Amenities include a 

graveled access road and parking area, loading 

and unloading ramps, shade structures, bbqs, 

picnic tables, fire rings, a vault toilet facility 

and bulletin boards. The trail head also offers a 

small kids' track. Shooting is prohibited within 

any developed recreational site. For more 

information on shooting, see the Rice Canyon 

and Surrounding Area Map below. 

Trail and Boundary Markers 

Rice Canyon is an Open OHV area, therefore, 

users do not have to stay on the trails within the 

signed boundary. The roads and trails are marked 

throughout the Rice Canyon OHV area with brown 

vertical signs that designate the recommended 

type of vehicle and level of difficulty. Some of the 

popular "track-like" trail loops are numbered and 

correspond to the map in this guide. 

Other Opportunities 

Rice Canyon is just one feature of the 61,764-

acre Antelope/Shaffer/Bald Mountain SRMA. 

For other recreational opportunities, visit 

one the following sites for these suggested 

activities: 

• Antelope Mountain: hang gliding, hiking, and 

sightseeing 

• Antelope Pit target shooting 

• Byers Pass: target shooting 

• Bald Mountain: hunting, mountain biking, 

horseback riding, and hiking 

• Belfast/Willow Creek Canyon (Tunnison 

Wilderness Study Area): hiking, sightseeing, 

stream fishing, hunting, and environmental 

educat,ion 

Shaffer Mountain: target shooting, hunting, 

mountain biking, sightseeing, and wildlife 

viewing 

• Susanville Ranch Park: cross-country skiing, 

hiking, horseback riding, and mountain 

biking. For more information, visit 

www.susanvilleranchpark.com. 

This high-elevation desert area is part of the 

Modoc Plateau and ranges in elevation from 

4,000 to 7,000 feet. The generally dry, warm 

days have average high summer temperatures 

close to 90 degrees, and the daytime winter 

temperature averages 40 degrees. For specific 

information about these areas, contact the 

Eagle Lake Field Office.