Motor Vehicle Use Maps
Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) show which routes (roads and trails) are open to motor vehicle travel, what types of vehicles they are open to, and what season they are open. The published hard copy MVUM is the legal document-of-record and is available, free of charge, in the Forest Supervisor’s office. The MVUM is the key to understanding each district's motorized transportation system and can be used in conjunction with the visitor map to determine which roads are open, and how far you are allowed to drive off of the road. Various travel aids/maps (for select Smartphones and GPS units) are available below as supplements to the MVUM, to help you make sure you know which routes are open to motorized use.
An MVUM is a free map displaying the roads, trails, and areas open to motor vehicle use in the national forest. This legal document is as necessary for motorized travel in a national forest as having game proclamations when going hunting. Although other travel aids or more detailed maps may be used in conjunction with the MVUM, it is the MVUM itself which is the reference document for where it is legal to drive a motor vehicle. The MVUM is republished every year, so please be sure that you are using the most current version when driving on the National Forest. If you would like a free hard copy of these maps, they are available upon request at the corresponding national forest office, or you may download the PDF version.
The Travel Management Rule (TMR) is a federal regulation that all National Forests and Grasslands are required to implement. The TMR limits motorized use to designated roads, trails and areas. The intent of the rule is to protect natural resources while also providing for motorized recreational opportunities. In an effort to inform the public about these opportunities for motor vehicle use, the Forest Service has developed the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM).
Travel Aids: Helpful Companions to the MVUM
A number of national forests have developed GPS-enabled travel maps for smartphones, tablets, and Garmin GPS devices, designed to help motorists locate their position along designated roads and trails, within motorized cross-country travel areas, and relative to motorized dispersed camping corridors.
The MVUM's large physical size could make it difficult to handle or refer to while traveling, and some motorists have found that the MVUM's small map scale and spare cartographic design make it difficult to locate themselves with confidence along the roads and trails and within the areas that it portrays.
In response to these concerns, a number of national forests have developed GPS-enabled travel maps for smartphones, tablets, and Garmin GPS devices, designed to help motorists locate their position along designated roads and trails, within motorized cross-country travel areas, and relative to motorized dispersed camping corridors.
The road, trail, and area designations depicted on these travel maps are identical to the road, trail, and area designations depicted on the MVUMs. However, these travel maps are not the official MVUM, and should be used as a supplement to, not a substitute for, the MVUM.
Travel Map for mobile devices
Free on the Avenza Maps store