Forest Service Moves to Rewrite Travel Management Rule for Roads, Trails and E-Bikes

The Forest Service is taking another swing at the Travel Management Rule, and anybody who hunts, fishes, traps, scouts or camps on national forest ground should pay attention. Access is never just a line on a map. It decides who can actually use public land and what condition that land is in when we get there.

The rule at issue is 36 CFR 212, the framework local forest managers use to decide where motorized vehicles can travel on national forests. The current system requires designated transportation systems so roads and trails are clear, enforceable and weighed against erosion, water pollution, habitat damage, maintenance needs and conflicts with other users.

The Forest Service is seeking comments as it builds an environmental impact statement. A proposed draft is expected in spring 2027, with a final rule expected in early 2028. The agency says the revision is meant to speed local decisions and increase access, including for motorized vehicles, e-bikes and other mobility devices.

The access side matters. So does the damage side. A road that gets a disabled hunter closer to country he paid for is a good thing. A spiderweb of unmanaged routes through elk security cover, trout water and wet soils is not. Public land needs both usable access and firm lines that keep the resource from getting chewed up.

This is one of those rulemakings where sportsmen need to read past the slogan. More access can be good. Bad access planning can wreck habitat and make enforcement nearly impossible. The right answer is clear maps, honest local input and roads and trails that serve hunters and anglers without burning down the country we are trying to use.