11 Best ATV Tires For Rocky Terrain

Riding ATVs in rocky terrain is one of the best joys for any ATV rider. Some riders love to rage through a specific type of trail. The ATV riders who mostly ride the rocky trails slowly become experts in rocky roads and develop the notion to get their ATV tires changed into special and ideal tires made for off-road rocky trail riding.

Also, when you are riding your ATV in the mountainous wilderness, you want to take in the beauty of nature rather than worry about safety. You need to have the right tires for the rough, rocky terrain for rid safety, performance, and safety. You need the right tire for;

• specialized rock trail tires enhance ATV control on rocky terrains.
• Check features like high ply rating, thick sidewalls, and strong treading for getting the best tire.
• Using suitable tires on rocky terrains helps avoid punctures and ensures a smoother ride.

Let’s see the 11 top-performing ATV tires for rocky terrain.

This might surprise you, but it is possible to find good rocky terrain tires even among the all-terrain categories. You just need to look for the right features and always remember the type of rocky terrain you mostly like to ride.

The obstacles you face and the other off-road difficulties will also help with a more informed choice. The best tires that you can get in the market for rocky trails are as follows.

Super ATV XT warrior

This specialized tire has been designed by a team of expert designers who know the dynamics of riding in rocky trails very well. The tires of this manufacturer are specially made for ATV and UTV riding.

This tire will provide the ultimate rock crawling experience. One of the biggest highlights of this tire is the one-inch treads. As another triangle tread is present, the combination provides great traction to roll through rocky formations.

One of the biggest issues that ATV riders face on rocky terrains is gripping. But with XT Warrior tires, that won’t be a problem anymore due to the presence of deeper lugs.

Sometimes, gravel, dirt, or sand accumulates in the tires and corrupts the overall tire performance. It is really bizarre to clean your tires while on a trail so the tires would remain clean with the amazing ejector ribs of the XT Warrior.

The tire lugs are also siped, which means the tire will provide the prime traction that other tires won’t be able to provide. Siping is also present in some all-road tires, which are meant to provide grip on wet roads and spread off the water.

 This system, when associated with off-road tires, will provide tire adjustment for even road surfaces, and that is exactly what the super ATV warrior tires do.

One last spectacular combination of features is the eight-ply and kevlar belt feature. This facility helps in maintaining the vehicle’s stability and ease of ride, even on rough surfaces and steep corners.

The Maxxis Roxxzilla Tire

This tire is hands down one of the best rock-climbing ATV tires you can get nowadays. The Maxxisroxxzilla tire has supremely soft treads; this gets heated with tire action and hence increases the grip with the rocky surfaces. Along with this, the tires also have shoulder rugs that are alternative in feature.

These also help in the protection of the sidewalls against flicks and scraps. Although the sidewalls are set in multiple layers, that means they are durable on their own as well.

The tire’s design is very wild and surprising, with the perfect deep tread structure. The tire has an eight-ply build and has been rated the best by several ATV and tire experts.

The roxxzilla tires also come in a very convenient weight, which is easily handled. The thirty-two-inch one is just forty-two lbs.

But when using these tires, the rest of the ATV should also be in really good condition; otherwise the tires won’t be complimented well and would not be able to fully showcase its potential.

Sometimes, some rocky trails have small streams of water to cross; thus, the area might also be a little muddy. The Roxxzilla tires have deep treads of unique capability that help in smooth travel through mud without getting stuck even the slightest.

Arisun Gear Buster Tires

This gear buster tire is known to provide an astonishing off-road riding experience. The cross treads present in the tire are unique in design and have wonderful durability. The tires provide balance to the whole system and a non-bumpy ride.

The sidewalls of this tire are very strong built and always protect to fight sharp rocks on the surface.

The tire has a protective mechanism called the k4d armor design, which is mostly responsible for protection in rough rocky surfaces where the tire can get easily damaged.

Sometimes, climbing an elevation of a higher road on rocky trails can be fearful and very difficult. But when you are using Arisun gear buster tires, the ride up the higher trails won’t be that difficult anymore.

The tread pattern is specialized in a way without direction pattern and has dented lugs with siping features to provide you that extra grip that will get you through the obstacles in the rocky trails with elevation.

Lobo RC Tires

The Lobo brand is reputed for innovation and tire development. These lobo RC tires are available for UTV and ATVs are special rock-crawling tires. This is a highly durable eight-ply tire with radial construction. The tires are specialized for heavy loads and smooth rides with perfect stability.

These tires are totally approved by the dot and are highly praised among rocky trail riding communities.

The tires have an elevated sidewall protection system, one of its prime highlights. The building compound used in tire manufacturing is of premium quality and has a great racing design look. The other quality that brings the Lobo RC tires among the best tire category is the shoulder knobs, which are stepped.

This provides reliable traction, which is desired by every rocky trail rider. There are center heads present as well, which are speedrunning and help with the overall performance of the ATV. This tire serves the purpose very well for critical obstacles that would demand prime stability.

Goodrich Krawler TA KX tires

This award-winning tire has been specially designed for riding on rocky surfaces. Many expert riders and professional race track riders have preferred these Krawler tires.

The tires have an excellent lug tread and a durable build that handles any kind of rocks beneath them. The tire compound is such that it flexes and adjusts to unequal surfaces of rock ledges and staircase formations common in cliff region trails.

The strong outer layer has superior friction and maintains stability throughout the ride. The basic build and design are such to endure critical blows from the disoriented rocks of the trails.

The riders will also be able to customize the tread to make the ride ideal for the trails in the rider’s region and rocks of specific types. This tire is extremely reliable for protection from punctures and heavy blows from obstacles in the rocky region.

This tire is absolutely a special tire and has been manufactured keeping the necessities of rocky terrain in consideration. On other surfaces and paved surfaces there, tires would provide poor grip in comparison to all-purpose tires.

But it wouldn’t be so bad that a little experienced ATV rider would get bothered by it. As this is a special tire which comes with a warranty of more than six years, it is quite obvious that the cost would be high.

But it has a colossal margin compared to other tires for rocky trails, so you should check this tire out. These tires are also highway-legal, which comes in the thirty-seven-inch version.

STI Roctane XD

These tires will serve best for riders who sometimes just like to experience some acceleration with their ATVs.

The tires of STI Roctane are designed to provide stability in speedy endeavors on rock surfaces and are a highly praised tire among ATV communities. The stiroctane has a dense nylon cord, providing extra durability and road adjustments.

The eight-ply carcass is also present like most other rocky trail tires, making the top ten categories. The stir octane’s non-directed treads are also special for maintaining wide control. The tire has an extra width compared to other tires, providing less clamorous rides.

This feature would really delight you if quiet rides are more of your thing.STIroctane also hosts a strong sidewall along with extra fitted sidewalls at the bottom.

The wheel lips remain well protected by the deep rim, protecting the whole tire from rough rock damage. The tread size and pattern are remarkable, allowing wonderful traction on the edgy surfaces. Due to the versatile features of the tread, these Roctane tires also serve well in mud.

Sun F tires

The Sun F tires are popular worldwide for their premium quality and amazing features. One of the most popular tire models from SunF for rocky climbs is model A033.

The non-directional pattern present makes the tires hold spectacular grip and stability on rocky trails. The build is of six plies, which helps in fighting against puncture probable situations. The high-rated manufacturing also keeps away any abrasions.

The overall tractions are maintained by the huge depth of the lug, and unique patterns also help in a superior skid.

There are also shoulder knobs that help in perfect grip on the edges, providing all-angle aggression in the tires. The total ATV performance also escalates due to the directional angled knobby tread present in the tire.

The rubber used is of premium quality and is always used in the hard compound before processing. This makes the tire perfectly suitable for combatting any rocky surface trail. The weight of the A033 SunF model is around thirty pounds.

The rim diameter is about twelve inches, which is perfect for the ATV. But you should always check the dimensions of the tire already present in the vehicle before changing into special tires.

Maxxis Bighorn Radial Tires

Maxxis is a brand that has several special tires in the market that suit the rock climbing features of the trails. The bighorn tire also has a radial build with great traction on uneven rocky surfaces.

The Bighorn radial tire can also easily absorb shocks without providing much effect of the bumpy ride on the rider and the ATV.

 The other remarkable feature is the extra width of the tires and tread blocks, which are much deeper. Both features help in a firm grip and surface adjustments.

Most riders don’t feel comfortable cleaning the tires after their trail ride is completed. If the rocky trails have mud spots, cleaning might get messy.

So, if these Bighorn radial tires are used, you won’t need to worry much about tire cleaning afterward. The tread block pattern, which is deep in feature, does have a self-cleaning mechanism.

 ATV riders often face more difficulty in obstacles present in trails because of dirt getting totally stuck in the tires. If the tires are not clean, they cannot provide superior traction.

Along with the Maxxis Bighorn tire, you won’t have much to bother about these issues. The special shoulder lugs further help in exceptional traction on muddy and rocky surfaces.

 The lugs are responsible for providing a guard to the sidewalls and the rim of the tire too. These tires are also reputed to be more stylish and badass in terms of design. The racing tire look is found really attractive by most ATV riders.

The lugs also have a solid six-ply build to save the tire from sharp rocks and resist puncture-causing factors. Due to the amalgamation of such wonderful features, these bighorn tires are known to last long without any damage. This is hands down one of the best ATV tires for rocky terrains.

BF Goodrich Mud Terrain km3 Tires

Although this tire has been specified for mud tracks, it can also serve well in rocky terrains. This tire has features very similar to those of rocky surface specialized tires mentioned above. The BF Goodrich is equipped with strong sidewalls but also has a low weight.

Often tires that are very heavy have strong sidewalls, but tires have come out totally unorthodox and have the amazing features of a heavy dominating tire. The build of this tire is a steel presence radial one, which accounts for the durability of the tires.

This bf Goodrich tire has a krawl-tek tread compound, which specifically provides extra traction and remarkable road adjustments. On all kinds of rocky and muddy surfaces, the bf Goodrich tire crosses through with flying colors.

This happens with the help of the flex zone, which has linear characteristics to change the formation of the tires. This helps in adjustments in really ugly rock formations. The tire’s features also help in steep climbs and drops along a slope where gripping becomes difficult.

The technologies used in the manufacturing and design process of this bf Goodrich km3 tires are of ultimate performance skills.

These tires are made specifically keeping the super difficult obstacles in mind that enthusiastic trail riders often are not able to achieve.

A fragment of this technology is the Coregard technology, which allows extreme protection against terribly sharp rock edges and trail descents where the tires face a lot of scrapping and hits.

 In this tire, the sidewalls do not split a little part because of the traction sculpture technology being used.

The tire size available is up to thirty-two inches, allowing you to choose your right atv fit. If you like to ride in rocky and muddy trails a lot, then using these tires is the perfect choice, as there are very few tires in the market that will perform equally on mud and rock-paved trails.

The mud-phobic bars in the BF Goodrich km3 will work on keeping the mud off the tires and help cross mud-ridden small streams, which are common in some rock trails, too.

The tread design of this tire is also known to be extremely dominating as it always maintains a firm grip on the surface, no matter who is uneven.

GBC Kanati Mongrel Tire

This is one of the hardiest and damage-proof tires you can buy for your ATV. This is because the tire has a build of ten ply.

Most of the tires in the market will have carcass protection of a maximum of eight-ply. In your area, this can easily be the only tire with ten-ply. The ATV will have more stability and traction if these tires are present in your vehicle.

The design of tread in this tire is also unique with a dynamic design, and the depth is about sixteen millimeters. This minimizes the micro area between the frictional points, and thus sharp rocks won’t be able to cause damage to the tires.

This tire is specialized to perform wonderfully on rocky surfaces and any hard ground trails. When riding on the trails on cliffs, riders often face a lot of stress in the narrow-width corner turns where tires need to be incredibly stable and grip-induced to make a safe round.

This kanati mongrel tire performs amazingly in this area and can be said to be beating every other low-ply tire. The other feature that is brilliant is the rider-friendly feature.

These tires are much easier to control and will never surprise you by behaving differently or making a short slide. Due to its versatile nature and firm grip technology, this tire will prove itself whenever you climb hard on a rocky surface.

The rim guard has exceptional depth, which means the tire lips would always be protected from rock hits and scratches. The exterior of the sidewall reaches out to the rim and completes the protection mechanism.

The tread is just perfect in durability and will run without any damage for a very long period. These tires will also work well in mud; thus, cliff trails with streams won’t be a problem anymore because of the no-space lug present in the Kanata Mongrel.

Maxxis Ceros

Although this is not a specific rock crawling tire, the Maxxis Ceros does exceptionally well in rocky trails. These tires are used remarkably in atv races with a short track length and also have a great record for smooth rides on sand dunes.

These tires have a perfect radial kind of construction, providing utmost stability during rides. The tread design is witnessed to have wild traction qualities and runs without a fuss on rocky surfaces, sand, and mud.

The pattern is directional for the tread and also has braking, an anticipated feature. The tire has a six-ply hard carcass and is recommended to be used with higher pressure. This keeps the tires’ utmost durability and thus runs perfectly without any faults.

If you are not specifically a rocky trail person and you like to get a taste of the desert and mud trails in between, then this tire would suit your needs perfectly. This tire is reputed to have easy handling and great stability on rough edges.

As this tire is made for small races, it can handle speed as well. If you get a clean and straight region of a trail, then these tires will give you the confidence to pull up the accelerator. This comes a little later in this best ATV tires for rocky terrain list, but it certainly is a good option.

Why Does Your ATV Need Specialized Tire For Rough Rocky Terrain?

However, various brands and types of specialized rock trail tires are available in the market. This might lead to a confusing choice, which would not provide the expected results and waste your money.

The tires that are present in your ATV from the time of buying are made in a certain neutral manner so that they can perform at least moderately on all types of trails.

So, if you want to improve your ATV control and friction on a specific type of trail, you need to get them replaced for a specialized one.

The rock-crawling atv tires will improve your rocky expeditions’ overall ride experience. For rocky trails, the type of special tires you will need is hardened terrain tires.

Conquering the very difficult obstacles present in many sandstone and dirtstone-based trails would demand the ideal tires for the surface. When looking for off-road tires, you would always need one with a tough casing. Getting the specialized tires also removes the trail worrying by a lot.

This makes room for more fun and enjoyment on the tracks. When buying tires for rocky terrains, you should check for features like elevated ply rating and thick sidewalls, which would help you make a smarter choice. You should also check how is the treading along with the cover.

If the treading is strong then this makes the tires stronger to face scrappy edges and also maintains better friction with the rock surfaces.

Punctures are the most frustrating situation on a road especially when you are riding in groups. Everyone has to wait for you to fix it to resume trail riding. If your tires are not of suitable features, then rocky terrains can easily cause a puncture if you are not careful.

FAQs

Conclusion

There are many options when choosing the best ATV tires for rocky terrain, but if you read it all in this list, the choosing would become much easier.

If you mostly ride on rocky terrains and you are passionate about overcoming obstacles on the rocky cliff, then it is the right choice to get specialized tires replacing the all-purpose ones.

All types of specialized tires are available in the market in varying sizes to fit your ATV perfectly. It is also important to study the tires already fixed on the ATV to get the specific details on dimensions and features that can be used to choose the best tires.