Top 6 Off-Road Setups: How Real Off-Grid Adventurers Haul Logs and Heavy Cargo

Here are some setups used by landowners in the Woodland Mills Facebook community

Hauling loads off-road, through rough untended trails or unmanaged forest can be difficult, but many landowners make it work. 

And they do that with the help of their Woodland Mills forestry equipment, such as their off-road ATV dump trailers or log arches, that help them haul cargo or skid logs to their off-grid cabins, cottages, hunting blinds and more.

So what types of hauling setups do landowners use to carry loads across rough terrain? Let's see what these real landowners from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group are doing.

Craig's Gravel Hauling Trailer

Courtesy Craig A. from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

Craig needed a setup that allowed him to easily haul and dump loads of loose cargo, so for him a Multilander Off-Road ATV Dump Trailer was the right equipment for him.

"After nearly a year working with the Multilander Trailer, it is a tough trailer. I pull it though deep mud, swollen streams and over creek beds loaded with stones, with a Kubota Sidekick," he says. "Roughly it has hauled 40,000 pounds of aggregate (20 US tons), each load about 1700 pounds (do not overload and know how much materials weigh per cubic foot), off grid to repair roads, culverts and now helping haul supplies for a new off-grid cabin."

"I did add another tackle block to the winch system as suggested by one of the users on here (in the Woodland Mills Facebook community), that was a back saver. Waxing the box really helps when the aggregate is wet. I do it twice a year. Wheel grease fittings are a pain to get to."

Andrew and Shannon's Firewood Hauler

Courtesy Against the Grain Outdoors from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

Andrew and Shannon are outdoors everyday.

For their chainsaw carving business, Andrew hauls out timber from his forested land to mill up on his Woodland Mills HM130MAX Portable Sawmill. To retrieve wood, especially firewood, they use a Multilander Trailer to haul across the steep slopes of their property.

"It is so versatile and can be used for so many things in our business; from getting logs winching them right up onto the trailer… dumping sawdust after a days worth of work… bringing cut offs and slab around from our Woodland Mills HM130MAX and getting firewood for those fun Friday nights!" say the couple. "This Multilander was very easy to build, had super fast shipping and the perfect size to bring through the bush!"

Patrick's Deep Forest Log Harvesting

Courtesy Patrick N. from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

Looking at the dense foliage around Patrick's in-progress home, you can see why he wanted a solution for harvesting and hauling his own logs to his Woodland Mills portable sawmill.

So with a combination of a winch kit and log arch, he's able to haul massive Douglas Fir stems wherever they're needed across his property.

"I have been utilizing the Loglander 20 and the Bushlander Log Loading Ramp and Winch this week," says Patrick. "Both work well. I was surprised how easy it was to roll a heavy log onto the mill."

"It’s been a year since I have had my mill set up. I find milling cants very satisfying! Milling is work, but sure like pulling finished boards off the mill. "

John's Sensible Log Loading Ramp

Courtesy John B. from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

Rolling logs from your log pile to your portable sawmill can be a challenge if you don't own a tractor or log loading equipment, especially in off-grid or off-road properties where navigating that equipment can be challenging.

Because of that many sawyers build ergonomic log ramps for loading logs onto their portable sawmills. John's setup specifically is designed to help gravity do the work for him, with his sawmill at a lower elevation so the logs roll easily from higher ground.

"Mill setup nearly complete, just a little fine tuning to go," says John to the Woodland Mills Facebook group. "This is a remote property with ATV access only - I don't think a mini excavator would make it in there without flipping and a 4WD tractor would make a huge mess of the trails."

"I'm using a portable gas winch to get logs to the trail, and then I haul them to camp with the Loglander 28. It has been working out great. My log deck is level with the mill so I just roll them on. The HM126 has been cutting perfectly and making nice lumber. Loving it!"

Hauling Everything Around The Homestead

Courtesy Steve E. from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

What can't you carry around your property with a Multilander ATV Trailer? Steve doesn't know, because he's hauled almost everything.

"Collecting wood, moving soil, dumping wood chips, moving leaves, and (I haven’t done yet) retrieve logs from the bush for my Woodland Mills," says Steve.

It's especially handy in tight trails and corridors through his dense wooded property, and he has plenty of plans for harvesting trees now that he has the ability to freely move them to his sawmill.

"With a swivel tongue, and walking beam axle design the load stays balanced in the rough terrain and rocks we live in which has always been tough to maneuver," he adds. "The Multilander has become a very useful tool around our farm."

"Love it, and will be putting lots of miles on this trailer over the next few months."

Off-Road Log Retrieval

Courtesy Kwasy B. from the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.

Log skidding is easy when you have an ATV that can go off road, but a great log arch is what seals the deal and makes log retrieval a cinch.

This log skidding setup is used to haul logs over steep slopes, and Kwasy from the Woodland Mills Facebook group shares that even mountain terrain can't stop him from log hauling.

"Loving my new log arch. Made it much easier to get the logs out of tight places and drag them down the mountain," he says.

What is essential log hauling equipment for off-roading?

Want to know more about the best setup for off-road log hauling? If you want to skid logs using an ATV or other off-road vehicle, consider the following equipment and accessories.

• • Loglander 28 Log Arch: Lifts the leading end of a log to reduce ground contact, resistance and damage while towing it behind an ATV, UTV or tractor. It has a 2,000 lb load capacity and includes a manual winch and choker chain

  • LD20 Log Dolly: Supports the trailing end of a log when paired with a log arch, helping lift the entire log off the ground for cleaner transportation and less trail disturbance. It supports logs up to 20 inches in diameter and has a 1,100 lb capacity

  • Multilander ATV Trailer: Provides a versatile option for carrying logs, firewood and other materials across rough terrain. Its onboard winch and loading ramps can help one operator side-load logs weighing up to 1,000 lb and measuring up to 10 feet long

  • Pathlander Off-Road ATV Trailer: Offers a more compact trailer for moving shorter logs, firewood, tools and supplies. Its removable tailgates accommodate longer material, while the 1,000 lb payload capacity and pivoting hitch support off-road hauling

• • 4' Cant Hook: Provides leverage for rolling, turning and positioning logs before connecting a choker chain, loading a trailer or securing the log beneath an arch

The best setup depends on the job. A log arch is well suited to moving individual stems through narrow trails, while an ATV trailer makes more sense when you need to transport several shorter logs or a load of firewood.

Tips for off-road log skidding

What are the best practices for log skidding, especially if you're using a log arch? Here is some advice:

• • Cut logs to size: Don't bother hauling a 12' log if you can only mill up to 10'4". Trim your logs to size to make them easier to skid to your log pile.

  • Prevent dragging: Worried about damaging the log or your trails by dragging logs? A log dolly like the LD20 prevents this and preserves the log and your land.

  • Balance your loads: Not all ATVs are built the same, or have the same hauling power. Ensure you create a balanced load that doesn't overload your ATV's weight limit.

Notice an improvement you can make to your log skidding setup? Put it into practice, then share your tips in the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook Group.