The Coconino Trail Riders (CTR) first started out in the early 1980s as in informal group of riding buddies from Northern Arizona who shared a fondness for technical single track riding. In 2003, the Forest Service began to plan changes to its land-use policy. Some of these changes were drastic and excluded OHV use on trails that had been enjoyed by riders for decades. Members of CTR decided to formally establish the club in an effort to work together and form a unified and organized response to the proposed land-use policy changes.

CTR worked diligently to promote responsible off-highway motorcycle recreation. Club members have spent countless hours working with the Forest Service and other users on trail construction and maintenance projects, grant partnering, public education, and formal comments submitted to government agencies to influence Proposed Policy Actions. When it became apparent that off-road motorized recreation would be significantly restricted by the eventual adoption of the 2011 Travel Management Rule, CTR assisted the Forest Service in designating new environmentally sensitive legal routes. The first project approved as a part of this cooperation was the Kelly Canyon Trail System. 

In recent years, CTR has been a key partner in the development of the White Hills trail system in Cornville, AZ.