E-1

APPENDIX E 

RECREATION OPPORTUNITY SPECTRUM

INTRODUCTION

The goal of the recreationist is to have satisfying 

leisure experiences by participating in preferred 

activities in favorable environmental settings. 

Opportunities for achieving satisfying experiences depend on natural elements such as vegetation, landscape, and scenery, and conditions 

controlled by land-management agencies, such 

as developed sites, roads, and regulations. The 

goal of the recreation resource manager then 

becomes to provide the opportunities to obtain 

such experiences by managing the natural setting and the activities within it. 

The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) is 

the BLM’s framework to inventory, plan, and 

manage recreational opportunities. The ROS is 

divided into six classes, ranging from essentially 

natural, low-use areas (resource-dependent recreational opportunities) to highly developed, 

intensive use areas (facility/vehicle-dependent 

recreational opportunities). Each class is defined in terms of three principal components: 

the environmental setting, the activities possible, 

and the experiences that can be achieved. 

The primary factor in determining ROS classes 

is the setting. This describes the overall outdoor 

environment in which activities occur, influences the types of activities, and ultimately determines the types of recreation that can be 

achieved. 

Activities are not completely dependent on opportunity class, and most can take place in some 

form throughout the spectrum. However, general activities can be characterized for each ROS 

class. For each person, her/his recreational experience depends on the environmental setting 

and individual differences based on background, 

education, sex, age, and place of residence. 

RECREATION OPPORTUNITY 

SETTINGS

The ROS encompasses a variety of recreational 

settings under which certain experiences are 

possible. Seven elements provide the basis to 

inventory and delineate recreational settings. 

These are: access, remoteness, naturalness, facility and site management, visitor management, 

social encounters, and visitor impacts. 

Access—Includes the mode of travel used 

within the area and influences both the level and 

type of recreational use an area receives. 

Remoteness—Concerns the extent to which individuals perceive themselves removed from 

human activity. Vegetation or topographic 

variation can increase this sense of remoteness. 

Lack of remoteness is important for some recreational experiences. 

Naturalness—Concerns the varying degrees of 

human modification of the environment. Often 

described in terms of scenic quality influenced 

by the degree of alteration of the natural landscape. 

Site Management—Refers to the level of site 

development. Lack of site modifications can 

facilitate feelings of self-reliance and naturalness, while highly developed facilities can enhance comfort and increase the opportunity to 

meet and interact with others. 

Visitor Management—Includes both regulation 

and control of visitors as well as providing them 

with information and services. A continuum of 

visitor management can be described, ranging 

from subtle techniques such as site design, to 

strict rules and regulations. In some recreational 

settings controls are expected and appropriate; in 

others, onsite controls detract from the desired 

experience. 
E-2

Social Encounters—Involve the number and 

type of others met in the recreation area. Also 

measures the extent to which an area provides 

experiences for solitude or social interaction. 

Visitor Impacts—Affect natural resources such 

as soil, vegetation, air, water, and wildlife. Even 

low levels of use can produce significant ecological impacts, and these impacts can influence 

the visitor’s experience. 

RECREATION OPPORTUNITY CLASSES

Based on the seven elements described above, 

six recreation opportunity classes have been developed and are described below. Reclassification of lands can occur in response to alternative 

management prescriptions. 

Primitive

This setting is characterized by a large-sized 

area of about 5,000 acres or more, lying at least 

3 miles from the nearest point of motor vehicle 

access. It is essentially an unmodified natural 

landscape, with little evidence of others and almost no onsite management controls. Activities 

include overnight backpack camping, nature 

study and photography, back-country hunting, 

horseback riding, and hiking. The experience 

provides visitors with a chance to achieve solitude and isolation from human civilization, feel 

close to nature, and encounter a greater degree 

of personal risk and challenge. 

Semi-Primitive Non-Motorized

This setting consists of about 2,500 acres lying 

at least 0.5 mile from the nearest point of motor 

vehicle access. The area is predominantly a 

natural landscape. Where there is evidence of 

others, interaction is low, and few management 

controls exist. Activities include backpack 

camping, nature viewing, back-country hunting 

(big game, small game, and upland birds), 

climbing, hiking, and cross-county skiing. The 

experience provides for minimal contact with 

others, a high degree of interaction with nature 

and a great deal of personal risk and challenge. 

Semi-Primitive Motorized

This setting consists of about 2,500 acres within 

0.5 mile of primitive roads and two-track vehicle 

trails. The area has a mostly natural landscape 

with some evidence of others (but numbers and 

frequency of contact seem to remain low) and 

few management controls. Activities include 

hunting, climbing, vehicle trail riding, backcountry driving, mountain biking, hiking, and 

snowmobiling. The experience provides for isolation from human civilization, a high degree of 

interaction with the natural environment and a 

moderate degree of personal risk and challenge. 

Roaded Natural 

This setting consists of areas near improved and 

maintained roads. While these areas are mostly 

natural in appearance, some human modifications are evident, with moderate numbers of 

people, visible management controls, and developments. Activities include wood gathering, 

downhill skiing, fishing, off-highway vehicle 

driving, interpretive uses, picnicking, and vehicle camping. The experience provides for a 

sense of security through the moderate number 

of visitors and developments, and some personal 

risk-taking and challenges. 

Rural

This setting is characterized by a substantially 

modified natural environment. Resource modification, development, and use are obvious. 

Human presence is readily evident, and interaction between users is often moderate to high. 

Activities consist mostly of facility/vehicledependent recreation and generally include 

vehicle sightseeing, horseback riding, on-road 

biking, golf, swimming, picnicking, and outdoor 

games. The experience provides for modern 

visitor conveniences, moderate to high levels of 

interactions with others, and a feeling of security 

from personal risk. 
E-3

Urban

This setting consists of areas near paved highways, where the natural landscape is dominated 

by human modifications. Large numbers of users can be expected. Sights and sounds of others 

dominate, while management controls are numerous. Activities are facility/vehicledependent and include concerts, wave pools, 

amusement parks, zoos, vehicle racing facilities, 

spectator sports, and indoor games. The experience provides for numerous modern conveniences, large numbers of people, interaction with 

an exotic and manicured environment, and a 

feeling of high personal security. 

MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES FOR 

ROS CLASSES

Objectives for a specific class contain minimum 

guidelines and standards as well as directions 

concerning the type of activities, physical and 

social settings, and recreational opportunities to 

be managed for. 

Primitive

The primitive class is managed to be essentially 

free from evidence of humans and onsite controls. Motor vehicle use within the area is not 

permitted. The area is managed to maintain an 

extremely high probability of experiencing isolation from others (not more than three to six encounters per day) and little to no managerial 

contact. Independence, closeness to nature, selfreliance, and an environment that offers a high 

degree of challenge and risk characterize this 

class. Back-country use and management of 

renewable resources is subject to the protection 

of back-country recreational values. 

Semi-Primitive Non-Motorized

Semi-primitive non-motorized areas are managed to be largely free from the evidence of humans and onsite controls. Motor vehicle use is 

not permitted (except as authorized). Facilities 

for the administration of livestock and for visitor 

use are allowed but limited. Project designs 

stress the protection of natural values and maintenance of the predominantly natural environment. Areas are managed to maintain a good 

probability of experiencing minimum contact 

with others, self-reliance through the application 

of back-country skills, and an environment that 

offers a high degree of risk and challenge. 

Back-country use and management of renewable 

resources are dependent on maintaining naturally occurring ecosystems. The consumption of 

renewable resources is subject to the protection 

of back-country recreational values. 

Semi-Primitive Motorized

These areas are managed to provide a naturalappearing environment. Evidence of humans 

and management controls is present but subtle. 

Motor vehicle use is allowed, but the concentration of users should be low. Onsite interpretive 

facilities, low-standard roads and trails, trailheads, and signs should stress the natural environment and be the minimum necessary to 

achieve objectives. 

The consumption of natural resources is allowed. Effort is taken to reduce the impact of 

utility corridors, rights-of-way, and other surfacedisturbing projects on the natural environment. 

Frequency of managerial contact with visitors is 

low to moderate. 

Roaded Natural

Roaded natural areas are managed to provide a 

natural appearing environment with moderate 

evidence of humans. Motor vehicle use is permitted and facilities for this use are provided. 

Concentration of users is moderate with evidence of others prevalent. Resource modification and use practices are evident but harmonize 

with the natural environment. 

Placement of rights-of-way, utility corridors, 

management facilities, and other surfacedisturbing activities would be favored here over 

placement in semi-primitive non-motorized and 

semi-primitive motorized areas. The consumption of natural resources is allowed except at 

developed trailheads, developed recreational 

areas and sites, and where geological, cultural, 
E-4

or natural interests prevail. Frequency of managerial contact with visitors is moderate. 

Rural

Rural areas are managed to provide a setting that 

is substantially modified with moderate to high 

evidence of civilization. Motor vehicle use is 

permitted. Concentration of users is often high 

with substantial evidence of others. Resource 

modification and use practices are mostly dominant in a somewhat manicured environment. 

Standards for road, highway, and facility development are high for user convenience. Frequency of managerial contact with visitors is 

moderate to high. 

Urban

Urban areas are managed to provide a setting 

that is largely modified. Large numbers of users 

can be expected, and vegetation cover is often 

exotic and manicured. Facilities for highly intensified motor vehicle use and parking are 

available, with mass transit often included to 

carry people throughout the site. The probability for encountering other individuals and groups 

is high, as is the convenience of recreational opportunities. Experiencing natural environments 

and their challenges and risks is relatively unimportant. Opportunities for competitive and spectator sports are common.