4x4 Places: Off-Road Trails & Parks in the USA

Who Manages the Land You Drive On

Most of the places above sit on federal land, and the agency that manages it sets the vehicle rules. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 245 million acres, one in ten acres in the country. The US Forest Service manages 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands covering 193 million acres in 43 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The National Park Service allows far less off-road driving than either.

BLM Open, Limited and Closed Areas

Federal regulation defines three BLM designations. In an Open area, all types of vehicle use are permitted at all times, anywhere in the area, subject to the operating rules. A Limited area restricts use by time, place or vehicle type, and may limit vehicles to existing or designated roads and trails. In a Closed area, off-road vehicle use is prohibited unless the authorized officer approves it. In a Limited area that restricts vehicles to designated routes, you stay on the routes the field office names.

Reading a Forest Service MVUM

Forest Service rules designate each road, trail and area by vehicle class and, where needed, by time of year, and require those designations to be published on a Motor Vehicle Use Map at the forest's offices and website (36 CFR 212.51 and 212.56). Once a district's map is published, driving a motor vehicle anywhere other than those designations is prohibited (36 CFR 261.13). The Forest Service puts it plainly: routes not shown on the MVUM are not open to public motor vehicle travel.

The map's vehicle classes matter for 4WD owners. A road marked for highway-legal vehicles only is closed to an unplated side-by-side or trail rig. A trail marked for vehicles 50 inches or less in width is an ATV or motorcycle trail, too narrow for a full-size 4x4. Seasonal dates on the map close some routes for part of the year, for example to reduce wildlife disturbance.

What a Forest Road's Maintenance Level Tells You

The Forest Service assigns every system road a maintenance level from 1 to 5 (Forest Service Handbook 7709.59, sec. 62.32). It is the closest thing to an official clearance rating for forest roads.

A level 2 road is where most easy 4WD driving on national forests happens. The handbook says motorists on these roads "should have no expectations of being alerted to potential hazards."

Camping Near a Trail

BLM dispersed camping is generally limited to 14 days within any 28-day period, after which you must move, often at least 25 to 30 miles; limits vary by state and field office. Colorado's BLM rule, for example, is 14 days in any 30-day period and a move of at least 30 air miles. For official campgrounds near each place, see camping near 4x4 places.

Recommended gear

A first recovery kit for any 4WD

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#1

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#2

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#3

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#4

VIAIR 400P 12V Portable Air Compressor

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