OHV Water Crossings

With a large share of OHV riding areas being in locations that are usually undesireable for camping, springs, ponds, streams, and lakes are often quite rare sights for OHV riders.   Therefore, many OHV riders seldom get a chance to experience water crossings and may not know how to safely handle them if/when they do encounter them.  When you do find them they can be quite a lot of fun  -- if you know how to engage them safely.

Water crossings require special techniques for both safely negotiating them and avoiding unnecessary environmental damage.   Shallow, slow moving water is usually fairly easy to cross unless there are submerged obstacles, holes, ruts, or deep mud that might impede your progress.  Try to pick a path that has no visible obstacles, then drive or ride smoothly and steadily through the water.  It may seem like fun to hit it hard and faster and throw up a big wake or rooster tail, but in most cases you will soon regret the drenching you give both you and your machine or your fellow riders.  Hitting it too fast can even cause you to hydroplane.  I have seen videos of guys riding a dirtbike on top of the water on a small pond at high speed.  Avoid kicking up too much water.  Too much water can enter air intakes or short out electrical systems, leaving you stranded in the middle somewhere.   If you happen to lay the bike down in the water it may suck water into the engine, creating a hydraulic lock that is difficult and time consuming to resolve, not to mention expensive if you can't do it yourself.  Fast moving streams can be very dangerous to cross.  It only takes a 6-8"of fast moving water to sweep a dirt bike or ATV -- or a person! -- downstream.  One of the perils of fast moving streams is that the moving water prevents you from viewing the bottom and may hide rocks or deep pockets that are impossible to negotiate.  If you determine crossing the water is safe, use a moderate speed and try to maintain steady momentum all the way across.  Slowing down in the middle can result in you getting stuck and stranded.  Trying to speed up may drench you and the electrical system on your ride, also leaving you stuck and stranded.  Be careful even of crossings you may have used before.  Spring runoff or recent rains or snowmelt can swell streams.  The difference is not always obvious and it is easy to get surprised by faster, deeper water than you are expecting.

How you approach water crossings will be somewhat determined by what kind of vehicle you are operating.  UTVs provide more protection for occupants than dirt bikes and ATVs.  However, they may be subject to different kinds of damage.  I have seen UTVs with shattered radiator fans caused by driving through water deep enough to break the plastic fins on the fans and causing the engines to overheat shortly after leaving the water.  The front wheels on dirt bikes and ATVs will throw up enough wake to thoroughly soak the riders and the machine if you hit the water too fast.  Dirt bikes are more likely to feel the effects of the current than ATVs and UTVs.  UTVs may lose traction in deep water because the body will often cause it to float -- at least until enough water flows inside to offset the displacement.

Many streams or bodies of water you might encounter are part of the local drinking water supply.  Excessive vehicle activity can impact water purity.  Muddy banks are easily damaged by powerful OHVs so  you want to avoid aggressive throttle when entering or leaving the water if possible.   Look for alternatives, such as riding around the wet areas, bridges, or routes that other vehicles have used.  Crossing streams where frequently used roads or trails cross is usually pretty safe, but use extra caution anytime there is a chance of unusually high water, like current or recent rain or snow melt.  Be sure to enter and exit the stream where the road or trail appears to be and it looks like other vehicles may have gone.

Some existing roads and trails have regular water crossings that sometimes have concrete paving to provide a safe place to ford streams.  These are usually relatively free from rocks and other debris but are often quite slick from algae and slime at the bottom of the stream.  Here again you want to maintain smooth, steady control to avoid slipping and sliding.  Flash floods can deposit rocks and other debris on concrete fords so exercise caution if there is anything obscuring your view of the submerged road.

Carefully plan your crossing before you start.  You need to know how you  are going to approach the water, the path you are going to take through it, and how your are going to exit.  I once saw an unattentive rider smack head on into the vertical far bank of a creek when he failed to see that the exit wasn't directly across from the entry, literally knocking the crap out of him!  Good thing he did a better job looking ahead when riding through the trees getting there!

Since many of the streams we cross are used by other people or as a drinking water source we need to be considerate of other users and prevent unnecessary contamination of the water.  If you see other people swimming, wading, or fishing nearby, exercise extra caution so you don't splash them or foul the water around them or upstream from them.

Water crossings are sometimes necessary and sometimes just a fun way to cool off on a hot summer's day.  However, always exercise caution and be courteous of other riders or other people enjoying the stream.

Safe Crossing!