Forest Rules

The Secretary of Agriculture's regulations (36 CFR 261) provide in part for regulating the occupancy and use of developed recreation sites. A violation of these regulations is subject to a penalty of not more than $5,000 or 6 months imprisonment, or both.

Definitions

The following definitions, which appear in 36 CFR 261.2, apply to all regulations quoted in this publication.

"Campfire" means a fire, not within any building, mobile home, or living accommodation mounted on a motor vehicle, which is used for cooking, personal warmth, lighting, ceremonial, or esthetic purposes. "Fire" includes campfire.

"Camping" means the temporary use of National Forest System lands for the purpose of overnight occupancy without a permanently fixed structure.

"Camping equipment" means the personal property used in or suitable for camping, and includes any vehicle used for transportation and all equipment in possession of a person camping. Food and beverages are not considered camping equipment.

"Damaging" means to injure, mutilate, deface, destroy, cut, chop, girdle, dig, excavate, kill, or in anyway harm or disturb.

"Developed recreation site" means an area which has been improved or developed for recreation.

"Forest development road" means a road wholly or partly within or adjacent to and serving a part of the National Forest System and which has been included in the Forest Development Road System Plan.

"Forest development trail" means a trail wholly or partly within or adjacent to and serving a part of the National Forest System and which has been included in the Forest Development Trail System Plan.

"Forest Officer" means an employee of the Forest Service.

"Person" means natural person, corporation, company, partnership, trust, firm, or association of persons.

"Permission" means oral authorization by a Forest Officer.

"Permit" means authorization in writing by a Forest Officer.

"State Law" means the law of any State in whose exterior boundaries an act or omission occurs regardless of whether State law is otherwise applicable.

"Stove fire" means a campfire built inside an enclosed stove or grill, a portable brazier, or a pressurized liquid or gas stove, including a space-heating device.

Code of Federal Regulations Title 36 - Parks, Forests, and Public Property

PART 261 - GENERAL PROHIBITIONS

• 261.1 Scope.
• 261.1a Special use authorizations, contracts and operating plans.
• 261.1b Penalty.
• 261.2 Definitions.
• 261.3 Interfering with a Forest officer, volunteer, or human resource program enrollee or giving false report to a Forest officer.
• 261.4 Disorderly conduct.
• 261.5 Fire.
• 261.6 Timber and other forest products.
• 261.7 Livestock.
• 261.8 Fish and wildlife.
• 261.9 Property.
• 261.10 Occupancy and use.
• 261.11 Sanitation.
• 261.12 National Forest System roads and trails.
• 261.13 Motor vehicle use.
• 261.14 Use by over-snow vehicles.
• 261.15 Use of vehicles off roads.
• 261.16 Developed recreation sites.
• 261.17 Recreation fees.
• 261.18 National Forest Wilderness.
• 261.19 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
• 261.20 Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail.
• 261.21 National Forest primitive areas.