Are ATVs Allowed In National Parks?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Anyone who has ever ridden an ATV knows the trill of cruising over rough terrain. It makes exploring new places much more exciting and is a fun way to spend time with family and friends. But can you ride ATVs in National Parks? The answer is a little complicated.

Can you ride ATVs in National Parks? 

Though it would be easy to say yes or no, it’s a little more complicated than that. For most National Parks, the answer is no, but there are a few exceptions. 

According to ATV Man, “National Park Service regulations generally limit OHV use in the park system to four types of National Park Service land units — national recreation areas, national seashores, national lakeshores, and national preserves. The regulations also require special rulemaking, with environmental impact analysis and public comment, to designate routes and areas for OHVs in these park units.”

That’s mostly to protect the land. National Parks are designed to preserve nature and protect the environment, so though riding your ATV through the oldest forests in America might sound great, most parks don’t allow it. That said, a few National Parks allow ATVs and offer designated trails and areas.

How can you be sure ATVs are really allowed?

Trying to figure out if a specific National Park is open to ATVs or other off-road vehicles isn’t always an easy task. That’s because an executive order signed in 1977 gave National Parks the right to close a once-open trail without notice. This means that a trail that was once open might be closed for repairs or give the land time to heal from all that traffic.

The quickest way to figure out if ATVs are allowed in specific National Parks is to check the Travel Management & Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Program maps that the U.S. Forest Service provides. They’ll give you a good starting point, but they might not be up-to-date. 

Instead, contact the location and ask to speak to a park ranger to find out for sure. They’ll be able to give you more up-to-date information about any potential trail closings. Some areas are open only during certain seasons. For instance, a trail open in the summer won’t necessarily be available in the fall. Always double-check so that you don’t violate park rules.

Penalties for riding an off-road vehicle in a restricted area

The cost of riding wherever you want can be rather high. According to the National Park Service, you’re looking at a maximum fine of $5,000 or six months in prison if caught outside designated areas. 

For instance, if you harm an endangered species while in the park, the cost could be even greater. You could end up with fines up to $50,000, civil penalties up to $25,000, or even spend a year in prison.

And if you harm or destroy archaeological reserves, the max penalty would be $20,000 and two years in prison.

In addition, before you head off on your ATV, you’ll need to carry a few things in case a park ranger stops you. The first is a permit showing you’ve paid the fee for driving your ATV in the park if required. The second is a map showing where you’re allowed to go. And the third is any equipment you might need and proof of insurance. 

If you’re unsure about something, stop by the park’s visitor center and ask questions. It’s better to know before you venture out and run into a ranger.

RELATED: Are ATVs Street Legal?

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The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Dominates as Best Family SUV

by Gabrielle DeSantis

We have another winner to be proud of! Check out the 2021 Toyota Rav4. It just earned the title of Best Compact SUV for Families in 2021. But what makes the Toyota Rav4 such a great family option? 

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 wins Best Family SUV 

2021 Toyota RAV4 | Toyota

According to the U.S.News, the 2021 Toyota Rav4 serves as the Best Compact SUV for Families in 2021. This award serves to identify the most family-friendly vehicles in the crowded SUV segment. 

Each contender is analyzed to include safety and reliability ratings, passenger and cargo volume, available features, data from third-party sources, and reviews from respected automotive critics. Other contenders include the 2021 Hyundai Tucson, 2021 Subaru Forester, and 2021 Honda CR-V. But the Toyota RAV4 is the overall winner for the second year in a row! 

Why is the RAV4 great for families? 

U.S.News ranked the 2021 Toyota Rav4 highly for delivering a high fuel economy, well-rounded driving dynamics, tons of passenger space and cargo room, intuitive tech features, average safety ratings, and average predicted reliability ratings. 

The RAV4 has a safety rating of five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Administration, and it’s a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). It received top ratings in all collision avoidance and crash tests. 

Standard safety features include a rearview camera, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assistant, road sign recognition, and automatic high beams. 

The 2021 Rav4 gets an EPA-estimated 28 mpg in the city and up to 35 mpg on the highway. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine pumps out 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, it can tow up to 3,500 lbs, and all-wheel drive is available. 

Edmunds noted that the Rav4 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 9.1 seconds, which is below average. It still has enough power for merging and passing people with ease. It feels confident and stable. Plus, it has above-average off-roading capabilities with advanced traction control settings and hill descent control. 

What are the Rav4’s family-friendly features? 

White Toyota RAV4 Hybrid compact SUV on display at Brussels Expo
The Toyota RAV4 | Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images

The 2021 Toyota Rav4 provides a smooth ride over bumps and keeps noise out of the cabin. Also, the climate system does an excellent job of keeping everyone comfortable. However, the front seats could use a little more padding. 

There are 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, and 69.8 cubic feet with them stowed. It’s one of the most spacious options in its class, with tons of storage areas to organize your gear. Also, there is plenty of space to easily install car seats for the kids. 

The 2021 Rav4 comes with a standard 7.0-inch touchscreen, but you can upgrade to the large 8.0-inch screen. A 4G LTE mobile hotspot and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included. You can opt for a wireless phone charger and a JBL premium audio system. 

It’s easy to see why the 2021 Rav4 is a great family option. It’s a well-rounded SUV with plenty of safety, comfort, and tech features included. It provides tons of value as a reliable option that isn’t too expensive.

RELATED: Go On an Off-Road Adventure with Toyota’s RAV4 Configurator

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The 2022 Toyota Tundra’s Infotainment Gets a Big Update

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The 2022 Toyota Tundra has generated a lot of buzz lately. Now, there’s new news regarding the infotainment system in the popular pickup truck. It’s about time, too, as the old infotainment was badly outdated. Happily, it looks like Toyota has finally decided to do something about the woefully outdated old system in the new 2022 Toyota Tundra. We can only hope that the changes work their way into other models in the brand’s lineup.

Toyota’s infotainment is due for a change

Toyota’s logo | Toru Hanai via Getty Images

So, why is the old infotainment so bad? Frankly, it has historically been a weak point of Toyota models in recent years. The Japanese brand attempted to hold things together by integrating Android Auto and Apple Carplay, which was great. But, the move felt a bit like putting a bandaid on an already very bloody wound. The old system had to go several years ago, and we shouldn’t have had to wait for the 2022 Toyota Tundra to see a new one.

At its core, the old infotainment system was laggy at best. Moreover, it was worse when you had first started the car, taking time to warm up like an old laptop. At least there was satellite radio on offer. Finally, the worst of the old unit’s problems was its touch sensitivity. Inputs were read, but it took the system some time to respond, especially while using Android Auto or Carplay. That said, the sky is the limit for the new system, and hopes are high.

Is the 2022 Toyota Tundra’s infotainment better?

The dash of the new 2022 Toyota Tundra with its new infotainment system
A glimpse of the 2022 Toyota Tundra’s infotainment | Toyota

Despite everyone’s high hopes, Toyota has been quiet about the new system’s capabilites. We’ve only got the image above to go on, but it at the very least seems much larger than the old model. Happily, it appears Carplay is here to stay, which can be seen running in the teaser photo. Let’s just hope the bigger screen will come as standard.

Speaking of the larger screen, it’s good to see Toyota already making improvements to the new system. The old unit’s screen was small and in some cases hard to read. You can be sure that a bigger screen will help with that. Additionally, it would be great to see some more effort being put into the usability of the screen, one of the old unit’s biggest failings.

Hopefully, it will reach other models

A white TRD spec 2022 Toyota Tundra
2022 Toyota Tundra | Toyota

Supposing the Japanese marque does get this right, we hope it will eventually work its way into other Toyota models in the lineup. Barring the halo-car Supra, all Toyota models use the same outdated head unit. It’s easy to imagine those old head units will be thrown in the bin as different models are refreshed. That said, changes will likely trickle slowly down the model range, so if you’re looking at a new Corolla or Camry right now, maybe wait another year and enjoy the newer, hopefully, better infotainment system.

RELATED: Buyer’s Guide: Toyota 4runner (2014-2017)

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There’s Finally Proof That EV’s Cost Less to Maintain

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Everyone knows – or believes, anyway – that electric vehicles are good for  the wallet. Still, there’s lots of argument about their overall practicality and the cost of installing chargers, among other things. Now we can say for sure that EVs cost less to maintain, thanks to a study by the U.S. government. 

USPS truck | USPS

What makes an EV cheaper to maintain?

You’re probably already familiar with how much goes into maintaining a gas powered car. There are roughly a zillion parts (disclaimer: not an accurate number) of parts, and they all do complicated things. As car technology has evolved to include more and more computers, maintaining a gas powered vehicle is much more difficult. It’s also more expensive than ever before. 

Cue the emergence of electric vehicles. At first they were a novelty – cars without gas! Yet they’ve become more and more common. As the number of electric vehicles on the road increases, what do we know about their maintenance? Is an EV cheaper to maintain?

The answer is yes. Although electric vehicle advocates have been saying this for years, we finally have evidence. The U.S. government, which has more electric vehicles than any other organization in the world, conducted a study to determine the cost of operating various types of vehicles. 

What did the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy find?

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy tested and tracked everything they own, from electric vehicles to postal trucks to large trucks. Their findings said that a “light-duty battery-electric vehicle (BEV) totals 6.1 cents per mile, while a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) totals 10.1 cents per mile.” They also note that “A BEV lacks an ICEV’s engine oil, timing belt, oxygen sensor, spark plugs and more, and the maintenance costs associated with them.”

These costs include operating costs, vehicle maintenance and depreciation, fuel and insurance, among other things. The study says that maintenance costs are less because there are fewer parts in an electric vehicle than there are in a traditional combustion engine. These costs were relative to the vehicle’s cost, and maintained their rate across vehicle sizes. 

What is expensive about electric vehicle maintenance?

One of the most expensive parts about electric vehicles, or at least the electric vehicles the government owns and operates, are charging costs. The study notes that there are labor costs associated with charging a vast fleet of electric vehicles, and this makes up a large portion of the total cost of owning the EVs. Obviously individual EV owners wouldn’t have these types of costs associated with them. 

Motor Trend looked at this data and realized that many people reading at it might think four cents per mile is no big deal. Every hundred miles a vehicle drives adds on just $4 to the cost of the vehicle. So Motor Trend did some additional math.

Those light duty vehicles mentioned in the study drove 2 billion miles in 2019. Add up those billions of miles and you’ll see that the government spent $78 million more than they would have if those same vehicles were electric. 

What can we learn from the U.S. government’s study? Electric vehicles can save the U.S. billions of dollars. Even if they weren’t so environmentally friendly, it seems like replacing gas powered vehicles with electric vehicles when possible is an obvious choice. 

RELATED: Porsche Is Launching a New EV Battery Company

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