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The U.S. Forest Service has started the process of revising the federal rule that determines where motor vehicles can travel on national forest roads, trails and other lands.
The agency announced Aug. 21 that it is moving forward with changes to the Travel Management Rule, which has guided motorized access on National Forest System lands since 2005.
The revision could eventually affect how roads and trails are managed in Arkansas’s Ouachita National Forest and Ozark-St. Francis National Forests, including decisions involving off-highway vehicles, e-bikes and other motorized uses.
For now, however, nothing has changed for visitors. Existing road and trail designations remain in effect while the Forest Service goes through the federal rulemaking process.
What is the Forest Service Travel Management Rule?
The Travel Management Rule was adopted in 2005 to establish a national system for managing motor vehicle use on National Forest System lands.
Under the rule, the Forest Service designates roads, trails and areas where motor vehicles are allowed. Those decisions are then displayed on Motor Vehicle Use Maps, commonly known as MVUMs.
The maps identify routes open to motorized travel and may specify what types of vehicles are permitted and whether seasonal restrictions apply.
Routes not designated for motorized travel are generally closed to public motor vehicle use.
The rule was developed as the Forest Service faced increasing use of off-highway vehicles and concerns about unmanaged cross-country motorized travel.
Why is the Forest Service revising the rule?
The Forest Service said the revision is intended to simplify its travel management regulations and give local forest managers more flexibility when making decisions about access.
According to the agency’s Aug. 21 announcement, the changes are intended to improve outdoor recreation access while supporting safe and sustainable transportation systems on National Forest System lands.
The Forest Service specifically identified motorized vehicles, e-bikes and mobility devices as forms of access that could be addressed through the revised regulations.
The agency also said the current process can limit the ability of local managers to respond quickly to changing recreation needs and conditions.
The exact language of a replacement rule has not been finalized.
What could change in Arkansas?
Arkansas contains more than 2.5 million acres of national forest land within the Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis National Forests.
Those forests contain thousands of miles of roads and trails used for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, hunting, camping, fishing and motorized recreation.
The Travel Management Rule provides the regulatory framework local Forest Service officials use when determining where motorized travel is permitted.
A revised rule could change that process.
It does not mean that specific Arkansas trails or forest roads will automatically open or close.
Any future changes to individual routes would depend on the final federal regulations and subsequent decisions by Forest Service officials.
E-bike access is included in the review
The Forest Service specifically included e-bikes in its announcement about revising travel management regulations.
Under current Forest Service policy, e-bikes are treated differently from traditional bicycles because they include an electric motor.
Forest Service travel data distinguishes between trails and roads where conventional bicycles and e-bikes are authorized.
The revision could affect how local forest managers evaluate e-bike access in the future.
It does not automatically authorize e-bikes on trails where they are currently prohibited.
That distinction could be significant for mountain biking in Arkansas, particularly on National Forest System trails where conventional bicycles are currently allowed but motorized uses are restricted.
Any changes to those routes would require additional Forest Service decisions after the national rulemaking process.
Current Arkansas road and trail rules remain in place
Visitors to Arkansas’s national forests should continue following existing travel regulations.
Motor Vehicle Use Maps remain the official reference for determining which National Forest System roads, trails and areas are designated for motorized travel.
The maps can also identify vehicle classifications and seasonal restrictions.
Posted closures and other local regulations also remain in effect.
The Forest Service announcement does not immediately change the legal status of any road or trail in the Ouachita or Ozark-St. Francis National Forests.
Wilderness protections are separate
Arkansas also contains federally designated Wilderness areas within its national forests.
Those areas are governed by federal law, including the Wilderness Act and legislation establishing individual Wilderness areas.
The existing Travel Management Rule states that roads, trails and areas within designated Wilderness cannot be designated for motor vehicle use unless that use is authorized by the legislation governing the area.
Revising the Travel Management Rule does not repeal the Wilderness Act or remove congressional Wilderness designations.
As a result, changes to the Travel Management Rule alone would not automatically open Arkansas Wilderness areas to motorized recreation.
Travel Management Rule and Roadless Rule are different policies
The Travel Management Rule revision is moving forward at the same time the U.S. Department of Agriculture is considering changes to the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
Although both policies involve National Forest System lands, they regulate different activities.
The Roadless Rule generally limits road construction, road reconstruction and some timber harvesting within designated inventoried roadless areas.
The Travel Management Rule addresses where motor vehicles may travel on National Forest System roads, trails and lands.
The two policies can apply to the same general areas, but changing one does not automatically change the other.
For Arkansas, both federal actions could be relevant to management of the Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis National Forests.
Environmental review and public comments come next
The Forest Service is beginning an environmental review as part of the Travel Management Rule revision.
The agency plans to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS, examining the potential effects of changing the regulations.
The federal rulemaking process will provide opportunities for public review and comment before a final rule is adopted.
More details about potential effects on recreation should become available when the Forest Service releases proposed regulatory language and environmental documents.
That information will also provide a clearer picture of how much authority could shift to local Forest Service officials and what standards would apply when deciding where different types of vehicles are permitted.
What Arkansas outdoor recreation users should know
There is no immediate change to motorized or non-motorized recreation access in Arkansas’s national forests.
Current Motor Vehicle Use Maps, posted restrictions and existing trail designations remain in effect.
The significance of the proposed Travel Management Rule revision will become clearer as the Forest Service releases its proposed rule and environmental analysis.
For people who hike, mountain bike, ride e-bikes, use OHVs, hunt, camp or otherwise recreate in the Ouachita National Forest and Ozark-St. Francis National Forests, the federal rulemaking process will determine the framework Forest Service managers use for future travel and access decisions.
Until that process is complete, existing Arkansas national forest road and trail regulations remain unchanged.
This article was originally published on ArkansasOutside.com, your trusted source for outdoor news and updates in The Natural State. Unless otherwise credited, all photos included in this piece are the property of Arkansas Outside, LLC. We take pride in sharing the beauty and adventures of Arkansas through our lens, thank you for supporting our work!
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Thank you @ArkansasOutside for providing clear information on policy proposals, legislation and other local, state and federal governmental actions that impact our use of public lands.