Motorsports
Do It Offroad
It was well below freezing as I pulled my truck into Paragon Adventure Park and began unloading my ATV. I’d reckoned that with temperatures this low, I’d be one of only a handful of thrill-seekers out on machines today, zipping around the woods of the massive Hazleton, Pennsylvania, facility. As is often the case, however, I was flat-wrong. Even this early in the morning, with a brisk, clear sky and razor-sharp sun struggling to chase away the hard frost, the Paragon parking lot was jamming with folks unloading their dirt bikes and ATVs, and prepping their full-size 4x4s for a day of bumper-thumping, mud-sloshing adventure.
The morning activity underscored, for me, a universal truth. Folks will feed their recreation monster somehow—bitter cold, sweltering heat, hail or high water notwithstanding.
That’s not to say this is an easy thing to do these days. Not so long ago it was a fairly simple matter to hop on a dirt bike or in a 4WD vehicle and cruise the hinterlands, taking the paths least traveled, no matter where they might lead. Try that today in most places and, at best, you’ll likely get your three squares served to you through steel bars. At worst you might find yourself picking birdshot out of your hindquarters.
Recreational off-road vehicle (ORV) enthusiast numbers are growing by the year—particularly the ATV segment. Unfortunately, the opportunities for ORV fans to kick up some dirt is dwindling across the country. Environmental activism has put the squash on a substantial number of formerly open public land trails, while the fear of litigation and the desire to preserve large tracts of private property has shut down many “local” ORV trails.
Thankfully, there is an upside. Throughout the U.S. enterprising folks are developing land for ORV recreational use. Much of these are considered low-value tracts that have been played out by industry—timber, mining and such. The terrain is often rugged, some trails are already established, so it’s a no-brainer to convert this type of land into a dedicated ORV playground.
Paragon Adventure Park is one of the more notable privately owned ORV areas in the country. Like its counterparts throughout the U.S., this is a pay-to-play operation. You show up, pay a small fee for the day or weekend, pass a vehicle technical inspection, and off you go.
Early in the day I met up with Jason Horan and several of his mud-sloshing buddies. Owner of a shower door company on Long Island, New York, Jason has been zipping around on ATVs since he was 13. He ran sport models several years ago, and did a bit of competitive racing, but once he got a taste of off-road parks, he decided that more fun was to be had with the 4WD quads.
“I used to have a sport, but my friends started coming here, and they said, ‘Don’t even bring it. Get the 4WD...you’ll love going through the mud and stuff like that.’ So, I’ve been hooked ever since.”
And those hooks ran deep. With a mere two-hour drive between home and the playgrounds, Jason and his buddies try to make the trip to Paragon once a month.
Aside from providing an opportunity to go ’wheeling, off-road parks allow enthusiasts to test themselves and their vehicle modifications in a safe, controlled environment. The trails, bypasses and play areas are usually mapped, with routes designated for particular vehicles, or specific levels of vehicle modifications and driver skill. And this, perhaps, is the greatest benefit of visiting an off-road park. It allows beginners the opportunity to enjoy off-roading at whatever level they feel comfortable with, then progress to more challenging trails as they increase their driving skills and enhance their vehicles to take on more of the rough stuff. Furthermore, the trail-running is done in a controlled, supervised environment so that if something does go wrong—a breakdown, driver mistake, or other mishap—help is within reach.
Paragon Adventure Park has been operating for about seven years, and Kyle Buchter has worked here since the beginning—first as a volunteer and now as an owner. He explained that Paragon is set up for park guests to get whatever out of their time on the trail that they wish, and at the level they feel comfortable with.
“On our map, we have the levels broken down,” says Kyle. “The green trails are pretty much for stock vehicles. From there they work their way up. Most people know that, so if they get in over their head, it’s pretty much their own fault.”
Kyle’s also seen a few interesting incidents during his time at the park. By and large, folks stick to trails they know they can handle, although some do manage to get in over their heads.
“We’ve had a lot of hairy situations with near-rollovers,” says Kyle, “but other than that it’s been pretty good. There are some spots where people will try to climb a hill sideways, then get stuck there and not know what to do. We have to go up and winch them, spin them around and get them down safely.
“We have our speed limits to help control people from speeding and getting out of hand. Most of our trails are nice and slow, and low-key. We try to keep everybody at a nice, reasonable pace.”
Not all commercial off-road parks are as big or as well-maintained as Paragon, but others are catching on and working to improve the off-roading experiences they can offer their visitors. But large or small, off-road parks are a welcome outlet for folks who haven’t lost the thrill of playing in the dirt.
Now, go out there and get muddy…