Roadless Areas
On June 23, 2025, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced the intent to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule. That rule established prohibitions on road construction, road reconstruction and timber harvests on nearly 59 million acres of national forests and grasslands.
What is next?
This action will require a notice of proposed rulemaking and final rule. This includes preparation of an environmental analysis, compliance with the Endangered Species Act, tribal consultation and coordination with affected states. There will be several opportunities for the public to provide input during the rulemaking process.
We will provide more information as the process gets underway.
Information about the federal regulatory process is available at Regulations.gov.
The 2001 Roadless Rule establishes prohibitions on road construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvesting on 58.5 million acres of inventoried roadless areas on National Forest System lands. The intent of the 2001 Roadless Rule is to provide lasting protection for inventoried roadless areas within the National Forest System in the context of multiple-use management.
Maps
8 X 11 Map (PDF, 1.13 MB)
11 X 17 Map (PDF, 1.89 MB)
11 X 17 Map, Detailed (PDF, 6.23 MB)
Maps Created for and/or Used for Roadless Area Conservation Project as of 11/13/2001
*Two states, Idaho and Colorado, have adopted state roadless area rules, and the roadless area boundaries adopted in those rules supersede the boundaries from the 2001 Roadless Rule in those states. Alaska roadless area rules are pending.
Map Service for Inventoried Roadless Areas designated by the 2001 Roadless Rule
Map Service for Inventoried Roadless Areas designated by the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, 2008 Idaho Roadless Rule, and 2012 Colorado Roadless Rule
Metadata
Metadata for National Forest System Inventoried Roadless Areas boundary coverage for the lower 48 in HTML format
Metadata for National Forest System boundary coverage for the lower 48 in HTML Format
Metadata for National Forest System boundary coverage for Alaska in HTML Format
Metadata for the Outer National Forest System Administrative boundary coverage for Alaska in HTML Format
Export Files
Inventoried Roadless Area data in XML format. Updated 10/03/2023
Zipped Shapefile containing Inventoried Roadless Area data. Updated 10/03/2023
Zipped Arc/INFO export file (ZIP, 456 KB) containing Outer National Forest System Administrative Boundary data for Alaska
Zipped Arc/INFO export file (ZIP, 16 MB) containing National Forest System Boundary data for the Alaska
Zipped Arc/INFO export file (ZIP, 15 MB) containing National Forest System Boundary data for the the lower 48 states
Ambient Population Distribution with Inventoried Roadless Areas within National Forest System Lands (PDF, 1.8 MB)
Relative Risk from Catastrophic Fire National Map (PDF, 1.9 MB)
Ambient Population Distribution within 1 and 5 Miles of Inventoried Roadless Areas on National Forest System Lands (PDF, 2.6 MB)
Roadless Rule Litigation
September 20, 2017 - DC Court Favorable Ruling State of Alaska v. USDA (PDF, 7.64 MB)
May 16, 2012 - Colorado Mining Association Petition to the Supreme Court (PDF, 158 KB)
May 15, 2012 - Wyoming Petition to the Supreme Court (PDF, 135 KB)
March 1, 2012 - Wyoming District Court Order Lifting Injunction (PDF, 49 KB)
March 1, 2012 - Wyoming District Court Order Lifting Injunction 2 (PDF, 49 KB)
February 16, 2012 - Wyoming En Banc Review (PDF, 60 KB)
December 5, 2011 - Wyoming Request for En Banc Review (PDF, 222 KB)
October 21, 2011 - 10th Circuit Vacating Wyoming Decision (PDF, 264 KB)
March 4, 2011 - Tongass Exemption Vacated Order (PDF, 86 KB)
June 15, 2009 - Wyoming Roadless Reconsideration Denial (PDF, 58 KB)
August 12, 2008 - Judge Brimmer's 8/12/08 Judgement (PDF, 532 KB)
August 18, 2008 - WO Letter (PDF, 106 KB)
August 20, 2008 - Federal Motion filed in California (PDF, 33 KB)
August 20, 2008 - Federal Motion Filed in Wyoming (PDF, 36 KB)
Idaho Roadless Rule Litigation
January 29, 2011 - Judgement on Idaho Roadless Rule (PDF, 90 KB)
Roadless Archives
Secretary's Memorandum 1042-156
May 30, 2011: Secretary's Memorandum 1042-156 - Authority to Approve Road Construction and Timber Harvesting In Certain Lands Administered by the Forest Service (PDF, 87 KB)
June 10, 2011: Letter to Field: Secretary's Re-delegation of Authority for Certain Activities in Inventoried Roadless Area (PDF, 15 KB)
Secretary's Memorandum 1042-155
May 28, 2010: Secretary's Memorandum 1042-155 - Authority to Approve Road Construction and Timber Harvesting in Certain Lands Administered by the Forest Service (PDF, 18 KB)
June 18, 2010: Letter to Field: Secretary's Re-delegation of Authority for Certain Activities in Inventoried Roadless Areas (PDF, 583 KB)
Secretary's Memorandum 1042-154
May 28, 2009: Secretary's Memorandum 1042-154 - Authority to Approve Road Construction and Timber Harvesting in Certain Lands Administered by the Forest Service (PDF, 9 KB)
August 3, 2009: Activities in Inventoried Roadless Areas (PDF, 14 KB)
October 16, 2009: Activities in Inventoried Roadless Areas (PDF, 219 KB)
News Releases
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Finalizes Colorado Roadless Rule - July 3, 2012 (PDF, 113 KB)
Final Public Comment Period Comes to a Close for the Colorado Roadless Rule - July 14, 2011 (PDF, 115 KB)
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Proposed Colorado Roadless Rule - April 14, 2011 (PDF, 71 KB)
Forest Service Proposes to Make Administrative Corrections to Idaho Roadless Rule - Sept. 8, 2010 (PDF, 56 KB)
Statement From Agriculture Secretary Vilsack on Colorado Roadless Petition - April 6, 2010 (PDF, 28 KB)
USDA Sec. Vilsack Announces Interim Directive - May 28, 2009 (PDF, 62 KB)
USDA Accepts First 3 State Petitions for Cons. Roadless Areas - June 21, 2006 (PDF, 67 KB)
Idaho Receives Financial Assistance from USFS - Dec. 20, 2005 (PDF, 66 KB)
Colorado Receives Financial Assistance from USFS - Sept. 8, 2005 (PDF, 66 KB)
Forest Service Extends Timeframe for Public to Comment - Sept. 8, 2004 (PDF, 45 KB)
Veneman Acts to Conserve Roadless Areas - July 12, 2004 (PDF, 68 KB)
Roadless Protection Finalized for Tongass NF - Dec. 23, 2003 (PDF, 11 KB)
USDA Retains NFs Roadless Area Conservation Rule - June 9, 2003 (PDF, 51 KB)
USDA Moves Forward to Protect Roadless Areas - July 6, 2001 (PDF, 40 KB)
Chief Directs Leadership to Uphold Roadless Values - June 7, 2001 (PDF, 75 KB)
USDA to Move Forward with Responsible Process - May 10, 2001 (PDF, 39 KB)
USDA Upholds Roadless Protections Rule - May 4, 2001 (PDF, 43 KB)
Forest Service Offers Preferred Plan for Protecting Roadless Areas in National Forests - Nov. 13, 2000 (PDF, 39 KB)
Glickman Proposes National Strategy to Protect Roadless Areas in National Forests - May 9, 2000 (PDF, 58 KB)
Forest Service Releases Proposal for Future Management of Roadless Areas - May 9, 2000 (PDF, 39 KB)
Forest Service Announces Opportunity to Order Roadless Proposed Rule/DEIS - Mar. 15, 2000 (PDF, 37 KB)
Forest Service Announces Information and Comment Opportunities on Roadless Proposal - Dec. 01, 1999 (PDF, 15 KB)
USDA Sec. Vilsack's Memorandum 1042-154 (5/28/2009) (PDF, 9 KB)
Interim Directive #1920-2006-1 (1/16/2006) (PDF, 26 KB)
Letter to Governor of Virginia (6/21/2006) (PDF, 84 KB)
Letter to Governor of North Carolina (6/21/2006) (PDF, 44 KB)
Letter to Governor of South Carolina (6/21/2006) (PDF, 43 KB)
State of Virginia Petition (5/5/2006) (PDF, 768 KB)
State of South Carolina Petition (5/5/2006) (PDF, 644 KB)
State of North Carolina Petition (5/5/2006) (PDF, 3.20 MB)
Letter to Governor Kempthorne (5/5/2006) (PDF, 644 KB)
Roadless Rule Background (May 2005) (PDF, 12 KB)
Roadless Rule Litigation Summary (May 2005) (PDF, 61 KB)
Roadless Rule Timeline (May 2005) (PDF, 22 KB)
Interim Directive #1920-2004-1 (7/16/2004) (PDF, 26 KB)
Federal Register - Notice on Reinstatement of Interim Directive (7/16/2004) (PDF, 52 KB)
FR - Roadless Applicability to the Tongass NF, Alaska (Final Rule)(12/30/2003) (PDF, 78 KB)
Proposed Revision Roadless Rule For Tongass NF, Sup. Info. Report (10/2003) (PDF, 247 KB)
FR - Advance Notice of Pro. Rulemaking, Ext. of Comment Period (8/18/2003) (PDF, 32 KB)
FR - Tongass, Notice of Pro. Rulemaking, Ext. of Comment Period (8/18/2003) (PDF, 38 KB)
Interim Directive #7710-2003-1 (6/12/2003) (PDF, 80 KB)
FR - Tongass, Notice of Pro. Rulemaking, Request for Comment (7/15/2003) (PDF, 44 KB)
FR - Advance Notice of Pro. Rulemaking, Request for Comment (7/15/2003) (PDF, 94 KB)
Roadless Public Comment Report (6/26/2002) (PDF, 5.52 MB)
FR - Notice of Interim Adm. Directives, Request for Comment (12/20/2001) (PDF, 456 KB)
Interim Directive #1920-2001-1 (12/14/2001) (PDF, 25 KB)
Interim Directive #7710-2001-3 (12/14/2001) (PDF, 81 KB)
FR - Forest Transp. Sys.; Interim Direction Notice; Req. for Comment (8/24/2001) (PDF, 43 KB
FR - Roadless; Interim Direction Notice; Req. for Comment (8/22/01) (PDF, 52 KB)
FR - Roadless Advance Notice of Proposed Rule; Req. for Comment (7/10/2001) (PDF, 41 KB)
Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth's Letter on Roadless (6/7/2001) (PDF, 73 KB)
FR - Roadless Area Final Rule; Delay of Effective Date (2/5/2001) (PDF, 43 KB)
Statement Of Mike Dombeck, Chief Of The Forest Service (1/5/2001) (PDF, 17 KB)
Mike Dombeck Letter To Employees (1/5/2001) (PDF, 11 KB)
Roadless Area Conservation Fact Sheet (1/5/2001) (PDF, 25 KB)
Table of Changes from Proposed to Final Rule (1/5/2001) PDF, 20 KB)
PowerPoint Presentation (1/5/2001) (PPT, 4.70 MB)
Summary of Public Comment from DEIS & Proposed Rule Comment Period (11/13/2000) (PDF, 3.63 MB)
Statement of James Furnish, Deputy Chief of the National Forest System, before the Senate (7/26/2000) (PDF, 26 KB)
Proposed Rule & DEIS Public Meetings National Summary (7/25/2000) (PDF, 79 KB)
Statement Of Charles Rawls Before The House Committee On Small Business (7/11/2000) (PDF, 15 KB)
Federal Register Roadless Area Conservation Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking (PDF, 61 KB)
Federal Register Roadless Area Conservation Notice Of Public Meetings for Proposed Rule (PDF, 74 KB)
Statement Of Mike Dombeck, Chief Of The Forest Service (5/9/2000) (PDF, 13 KB)
Chief Mike Dombeck Letter to Forest Service Employees(5/9/2000) (PDF, 13 KB)
Statement of George T. Frampton, Jr., Chairman of the Council of Environmental Quality, before the Senate (3/30/2000) (PDF, 15 KB)
Statement of Jim Lyons, USDA Under Secretary Natural Resources and Environment, before the House (3/14/2000) (PDF, 27 KB)
Statement of Jim Lyons, USDA Under Secretary Natural Resources and Environment, before the Senate (2/22/2000) (PDF, 26 KB)
Overview of Forest Service Initiatives (1/2000) (PDF, 18 KB)
Chief Dombeck Speaks On Roadless Opportunity (12/29/1999) (PDF, 10 KB)
Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck Before House (11/03/1999) (PDF, 18 KB)
Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck Before Senate (11/02/1999) (PDF, 16 KB)
Notice Of Intent (10/19/1999) (PDF, 19 KB)
Mike Dombeck Letter To Employees (10/14/1999) (PDF, 12 KB)
President Clinton's Memorandum To The Secretary Of Agriculture (10/13/1999) (PDF, 13 KB)
President Clinton's Remarks From The GW/Jeff National Forest (10/13/1999) (PDF, 25 KB)
Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) Primer & Field Guide (1990) (PDF, 672 KB)
Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) Users Guide (1979) (PDF, 3.29 MB)
Roadless Area Review and Evaluation (RARE II) (1979) (PDF, 36.98 MB)
Lands Regulation L-1 (1936) (PDF, 540 KB)
Experimental Forests and Ranges, Natural Areas and Primitive Areas (1933) (PDF, 36 KB)
Virgin Forest Areas to be Safeguarded - Press Release (1929) (PDF, 126 KB)
Report of Forester William B. Greeley (1924) (PDF, 1.17 MB)
A Wilderness Reservation Policy for the Forest Service (1924) (PDF, 768 KB)
RACNAC Archived News and Information
RACNAC Letter to President-elect Obama Adm. USDA Transition Team - Dec. 23, 2008 (PDF, 74 KB)
Advice of the RACNAC on the Colorado Draft Roadless Rule - Dec. 5, 2008 (PDF, 137 KB)
Advice of the RACNAC on the State of Idaho's Draft Roadless Rule - May 30, 2008 (PDF, 81 KB)
RACNAC 2007 Charter - April 3, 2007 (PDF, 50 KB)
News Release - RACNAC Members Appointed for Second Term - March 2007 (PDF, 7 KB)
Fed. Reg. Notice - RACNAC Charter Renewal - March 27, 2007 (PDF, 51 KB)
Johanns Announces RACNAC to Help Implement State Petitions Rule - Sept. 16, 2005 (PDF, 71 KB)
RACNAC 2005 Charter - Sept. 8, 2005 (PDF, 18 KB)
Fed. Reg. Notice - Establishment of RACNAC - May 13, 2005 (PDF, 42 KB)
News Release - USFS Announces National Advisory Committee - May 5, 2005 (PDF, 83 KB)
RACNAC Bios (PDF, 421 KB)
RACNAC Archived Meeting Notes and Summaries
Nov. 2008 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 172 KB)
Oct. 2008 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 39 KB)
July 2008 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 63 KB)
April 25, 2008 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 113 KB)
April 1, 2 2008 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 129 KB)
Feb. 2008 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 63 KB)
Jan. 2008 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 87 KB)
June 2007 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 41 KB)
March 2007 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 34 KB)
Nov. 2006 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 146 KB)
Oct. 2006 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 29 KB)
Aug. 2006 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 80 KB)
May 2006 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 22 KB)
Dec. 2005 RACNAC Meeting Summary (PDF, 131 KB)
FR Notice - First National RACNAC Meeting Scheduled - Nov. 22, 2005 (PDF, 61 KB)
2005 State Petitions Rule (PDF, 132 KB)
State Petitions Rule Documents
Federal Register - Final Rule State Petitions for Inventoried Roadless Areas (5/13/05) (PDF, 130 KB)
Letter To Gov. Kempthorne - Sample Letter sent to 39 Governors (Final Rule) (5/5/05) (PDF, 32 KB)
State Petitions Issues Narrative - Public Comment on 7/16/2004 Proposed Petitions Rule (5/5/05) (PDF, 660 KB)
Federal Register - State Petitions Proposed Rule Extension of Comment Period (9/9/2004) (PDF, 46 KB)
Federal Register - State Petitions Proposed Rule Request for Comment (7/16/2004) (PDF, 66 KB)
Letter To Gov. Kempthorne - Sample Letter sent to 39 Governors (Pro. Rule) (7/12/04) (PDF, 186 KB)
State Petitions Rule Litigation Status
CA Injunction Reinstating Roadless Rule AFFIRMED by Ninth Circuit 08/05/2009 (PDF, 179 KB)
Judge Laporte's 12/02/2008 Decision (PDF, 51 KB)
Judge Laporte's 02/06/2007 Judgement (PDF, 24 KB)
Judge Laporte's 02/06/2007 Order (PDF, 39 KB)
Judge Laporte's 12/28/2006 Decision (PDF, 20 KB)
Judge Laporte's 11/29/2006 Decision (PDF, 53 KB)
Judge Laporte's 10/11/06 Decision (PDF, 184 KB)