Public land is not 'open land'
The biggest misconception in off-roading is that federal public land is a free-for-all. It is not. On Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and US Forest Service (USFS) land, motorized travel is managed: most areas are 'limited to designated routes,' meaning you may drive only on roads and trails specifically marked open to your vehicle type. A smaller number of 'open' areas (like some dune systems) allow cross-country travel, and large areas are closed to motorized use entirely. The designation is set by the local field office or forest in a travel-management plan, and it is enforceable.
This matters because the legal answer to 'can I off-road here?' is almost never general — it is specific to the route, the season, and the managing office. The same forest can have open, limited, and closed areas side by side.
How to find legal routes
Use official sources rather than crowd-sourced trail apps alone. BLM and the Forest Service publish Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) and travel-management maps that show exactly which roads and trails are open to motorized vehicles, to which vehicle classes, and in which seasons. Many areas also require a permit or charge a use fee, and some require an OHV registration/decal even on federal land.
- BLM field office or USFS ranger district — the authority for the specific area; call or check their website for current status.
- Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) — the legal map of which routes are open to which vehicles and when.
- Seasonal closures — wet season, fire restrictions, and wildlife/calving closures can shut routes that were open last month.
- State OHV decals — some federal areas still require your state OHV registration or sticker; confirm before you ride.
Verify locally: Route status, permits, fees, and seasonal closures change frequently. Confirm the current MVUM and any restrictions directly with the managing BLM field office or USFS ranger district before you go.
Stay the trail — the rule that keeps land open
'Stay on designated routes' is both the law on limited-travel land and the single most important habit for keeping areas open to the public. Cutting switchbacks, blazing new trails, and driving across undisturbed terrain causes erosion and damage that land managers respond to by closing routes. Every responsible-use organization, the BLM, and the Forest Service make the same request: keep your tires on the established, legal route.
Tread Lightly is the widely recognized nonprofit (partnered with federal agencies) whose principles — Travel responsibly, Respect the rights of others, Educate yourself, Avoid sensitive areas, and Do your part — summarize the behavior that keeps trails accessible. The acronym is a useful field memory aid, but the underlying message is simple: leave the place at least as good as you found it.
- Travel only on routes designated open for your vehicle.
- Avoid wet, muddy trails — ruts cause lasting damage and closures.
- Pack out everything, including trash that isn't yours.
- Respect wildlife, livestock, gates, and other users — leave gates as you found them.
- Avoid sensitive areas: meadows, streambanks, dunes with vegetation, and cultural sites.
Private, state, and tribal land
Federal BLM/USFS land is only part of the map. State trust land, state OHV parks, county land, tribal land, and private land each have their own access rules, and crossing onto them without permission can be trespassing even when the terrain looks identical. State OHV parks are often the most beginner-friendly legal option, with marked difficulty levels and on-site rules. When in doubt about who manages a parcel or whether a route is legal, do not ride it — find a confirmed-legal area instead.
Verify locally: Land ownership and access rights are not visible from the ground. Never assume a route is legal because it exists or because others use it — confirm the managing agency and access rules before you drive.