Hodges Village Dam Oxford, MA

[B440]

Can anyone who's ridden there school me on this place?

I need an ATV (yellow) plate to ride there. Can I ride there if I have a street-plated dual sport? Or do I still need the ATV plate? I read the info on the DMV website and I talked to one of the guys who works there and I'm getting mixed info.

What are the trails like? I wasn't able to walk through any trails while I was there, but I now know where the motorcycle parking is. Good elevation changes? rocky? loamy? mostly gravel like powerline/gasline trails?

[gamorg02]

When i rode at franklin i had a street plate on my xr250 and the DEP guy was perfectly OK with it.

[typeone]

Hodges is local to me, just rode there yesterday. definitely a fun spot, good mix of terrain, just not very big...

there are no 'yellow plates' anymore, they're stickers now and yes, you need them to be totally legal. even if you have a street plate.

trails are fun, basic answer to all your examples = yes i haven't ridden every trail yet (few new trails added past few seasons) but you can expect all the usual New England style single track. roots, rocks, roots, rocks, few hills, wooden bridges, gravel roads connecting some tails, etc. there's a small 'sand pit' type area and a few Endurocross-style obstacles as well. pretty well rounded for it's size.

i think Fast_Eddie on here probably knows the trails best as i believe he helped burn some of the newer stuff in. i forget how many miles of trail they're up to now but it's probably close to ~20mi (?)

[theothersean]

check the state website for atv registration in mass, the laws have changed in the past couple years , believe it or not you need to have the state off road sticker for a street registered motorcycle when it is off road , and atv or dirtbike when it is off road , even on YOUR OWN PRIVATE PROPERTY , yes it is BS but thats mass for ya collecting sales tax and fees . even if you buy a 4wheeler for no other purpose than to plow your own driveway in the winter time you need the off road sticker.

oh yeh , hodges is a fun little place to ride with a variety of everything you just need to do a few laps to get in some miles . and the stuff on the opposite side of the river from where the parking area is off limits to motorized veichles , thats for the hore, mt bike, hiker folk .

and except when the need to close for flooding or mud season . they are open year round . unlike the state forests .

[Daytona440]

Hodges is local to me, just rode there yesterday. definitely a fun spot, good mix of terrain, just not very big...

there are no 'yellow plates' anymore, they're stickers now and yes, you need them to be totally legal. even if you have a street plate.

trails are fun, basic answer to all your examples = yes i haven't ridden every trail yet (few new trails added past few seasons) but you can expect all the usual New England style single track. roots, rocks, roots, rocks, few hills, wooden bridges, gravel roads connecting some tails, etc. there's a small 'sand pit' type area and a few Endurocross-style obstacles as well. pretty well rounded for it's size.

i think Fast_Eddie on here probably knows the trails best as i believe he helped burn some of the newer stuff in. i forget how many miles of trail they're up to now but it's probably close to ~20mi (?)

Agreed. There is usually someone there to check up on the place and make sure everyone is legal...so it's worth it to make sure all your stuff is in order..

[B440]

Thanks everyone. Good info. Now I just need get a sticker.

[Fast_Eddie]

The trails on left side of the access road near the river are are a bit easier and faster than the stuff on top of the hill. The top of the hill has some very technical rocky "enduro loops". Just stay out of the working gravel pit. It's strictly off limits and they are very good to us on some other access issues. You also have to stay on the same side of the river as the parking area. There is plenty of riding on the legal trails and good people to ride with. I'll be back there in a week or so, once I get back from Atlanta. Unless I'm riding MX at Crow Hill or MX101.

[typeone]

Eddie, do you know of any updated or decent PDF trail maps for Hodges? the map off the main USACE site sucks

[Fast_Eddie]

Ranger Tim did update the map this spring. He may have only a handful printed so far. Check at the ranger station or ask around when you see one of the rangers.
Most people learn the trails by riding with jumping in with a group on the weekend. There's usually a few of the regulars who ride from the lot about every 90 min.

[McBiggity]

I need a map of the upper trails. The handful of times I went up there I became completely lost

[typeone]

thanks, Eddie, i'll ask around next time.

yeah, it would be great to learn a full loop using the lower and upper trails together. i've been watching some vids from MassTrailRider on YouTube and he seems to go in the lower trail by the gate then directly left every time. i've always gone right.

Biggity's great about leading but i know it gets lame leading every time.

when's the next session?

[McBiggity]

Hopefully soon. THis weekend is booked for me and then gone next weekend. Maybe an after work run next week sometime

[Daytona440]

Biggity's great about leading but i know it gets lame leading every time.

Agreed! Biggity does a great job. Thanks for taking me through all the time!

[McBiggity]

I don't mind leading. I feel like I am holding people up sometimes. I'm about as fast as Natalie crawls.

[BMFR6]

I need a bike. Would like to get out at least once this year.

[McBiggity]

Yes you do need a bike

[Daytona440]

I need a bike. Would like to get out at least once this year.

Get on it!

[Svenny]

I need a bike. Would like to get out at least once this year.

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...005-wr250.html

I can bring it along with me on a dirty ride sometime if you wanna check it out. I've only been to hodges once but it was fun.