Recreation Opportunity Spectrum

Recreational settings and experiences are defined by the recreation opportunity spectrum (ROS) which identifies various levels of development available for recreational activities. The ROS is a classification tool used by Forest Service managers since the 70s to provide visitors with varying challenges and outdoor experiences. The ROS (U.S. Forest Service 1982) classifies forest service lands into six management class categories defined by setting and the probable recreation experiences and activities it affords including: urban; rural; roaded natural; semi-primitive motorized; semi-primitive non-motorized; and primitive. The setting characteristics that define ROS include physical, social and managerial. “Physical” setting characteristics include type of access, remoteness, and size of the area while “social” is based on the number of people encountered. Visitor management, level of development, and naturalness (evidence of visitor impacts and / or management activities) are setting characteristics for “managerial”.

Urban settings occur on the Tonto National Forest adjacent to developed communities such as Payson, Globe, Pine, Strawberry, and Superior. Rural settings occur on Tonto NF lands extensively modified typically for residential development. Most areas of the Forest zoned roaded natural occur in state highway and National Forest System road corridors along with the Forest’s lakes. Semi-primitive motorized settings occur between areas classified as roaded natural and semi-primitive non-motorized. Most lands with primitive settings occur within wilderness areas where motorized travel is not permitted. 

Existing ROS classes and desired ROS classes are mapped forestwide at a broad scale. Local inconsistencies may exist. The map of desired ROS classes can be updated in the future to resolve these inconsistencies or to account for changed conditions. Finer-scale project design may identify more precise boundaries for desired ROS classes than are represented on the forestwide allocation map. 

Additional  information:

• ROS Overview (PDF)
• ROS Primer and Field Guide