Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is Travel Management?

A. The Travel Management Rule (TMR) is a federal regulation that all National Forests and Grasslands 

are required to implement. The TMR limits motorized use to designated roads, trails and areas. The intent 

of the rule is to protect natural resources while also providing for motorized recreational opportunities.

Q. When does the Travel Management Rule go into effect?

A. It will be some time yet. The publication of the legal notice in the newspapers of record for the forest 

begins the 45-day appeal process. If no appeal is filed within the 45-day period, implementation of the 

decision may begin on, but not before, the 5th business day following the close of the appeal filing period. 

The decision will be implemented upon publication of the motor vehicle use map (MVUM).

Implementation is expected to begin March 2015.

Q. What is the motor vehicle use map?

A. The MVUM is the legal document displaying the roads, trails, and areas open to motor vehicle use on 

the Forest.

Q. Why has it taken so long to release the decision after it was signed?

A. Changes in priorities and staffing, the furlough, fire season and ensuring the documents meet 

accessibility requirements for the website have contributed to the delay. 

Q. The NEPA appeal process changed to the Objection Process in 2013. If the decision was signed in 

Sept. of 2013, why isn’t this decision under the objection process?

A. Throughout the scoping and comment period, it was stated that the process would remain subject to 

36CFR215 appeal procedures to maintain consistency.

Q. Am I allowed to drive off-road to gather fuelwood?

A. Off-road travel within designated fuelwood areas remains the same. This means you can use your 

motorized vehicle to gather your fuelwood within designated cutting areas. You can continue to gather 

wood near roads. We will be updating our fuelwood permit to be consistent with the travel management 

decision. 

 

Q. How far can I drive off-road to retrieve a big game animal?

A. The decision allows hunters to drive up to 300 feet from either side of roads designated with a corridor 

to retrieve their game.

Q. I am disabled and want to drive to my favorite place. Why can’t I? 

A. There is no legal requirement to allow persons with disabilities to drive to places closed to motorized 

use. The decision treats everyone the same, and therefore, is not considered discriminatory.

Q. Can I still car camp?

A. Yes. However, visitors may not travel cross-country in their motorized vehicles in order to camp. 

Q. How far can I tent camp from my car?

A. The public can park, within a vehicle length or vehicle-plus-trailer length, along any of the roads open 

to motorized use in the chosen alternative, as well as county roads within the Forest, and can walk/hike 

any distance from the parked vehicle to set up camp.

Q. How does TMR affect dispersed camping?
A. The decision has approximately 1,316 miles of designated motorized dispersed camping corridors and 

36 areas. These corridors and the 36 areas capture the majority of locations where motorized dispersed 

camping currently occurs. You have the ability to drive off the road 300 feet from either side of the road 

where motorized dispersed camping corridors are designated to establish a camp.

Q. Can employees use closed roads to access projects?

A. Justification for travel on closed roads by employees will be brought to the District Rangers. District 

Rangers will make the decision whether to allow the travel on a case by case basis.

Q. Can/will the travel management decision ever change?

A. The decision can change depending on circumstances, feedback and use.

 

Q. Why did you close the road to my favorite camping spot?

A. All comments were considered in the analysis of the project. The majority of the roads to be closed to 

motor vehicle use are less than one-mile in length, some had signs of little to no use; some had cultural or 

natural resource concerns; and some were duplicates of others or parallel to each other and ended near the 

same locations.