Forest Service Moves Forward to Revise Travel Management Rule
Washington, D.C., August 21, 2026 – The U.S. Forest Service today announced plans to publish a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for amending the existing Travel Management Rule (36 CFR 212). This proposed revision simplifies the regulatory requirements to enhance quicker local decision-making and increase access, including for motorized vehicles, e-bikes, and other mobility devices.
“Public lands are for public use, yet for too long, Forest Service regulations have stood in the way of public recreation access,” said Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen A. Vaden. “With this step, USDA begins the process of ensuring the public can access their forests and USDA can better manage the lands with which the public has entrusted it.”
“The existing travel management scheme creates unnecessary barriers for Americans to enjoy the national forests and grasslands that they own,” said USDA Natural Resources and Environment Under Secretary Michael Boren. “By simplifying regulations and aligning them with the mission of the United States Forest Service, we are providing the necessary tools for local leaders to ensure that roads, trails, airfields, trailheads and other access routes are open and appropriate for public use.”
“The Forest Service administers more than 380,000 miles of road, exceeding the length of the U.S. Interstate Highway System by nearly eight times, and 165,000 miles of trails,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “This action provides the legal foundation to streamline and modernize the Travel Management Rule and align Forest Service policy with administration priorities to increase access and protect private and commercial interests, while conserving natural resources.”
The revisions ultimately will expand outdoor recreation access, strengthen rural economies, maintain safe and sustainable transportation systems, and support working lands. These revisions support the May 29, 2026, Presidential Executive Order Removing Unnecessary and Counterproductive Restrictions on Access to Federal Lands, which rescinded Executive Orders 11644 (1972) and 11989 (1977) – essentially eliminating unnecessary regulations on the use of off-road vehicles on public lands.
Existing designations and maps created under the current Travel Management Rule will remain valid and in place until updated at the local level. This vast transportation system provides access for recreation and wildlife-related visitation for more than 164 million people every year.
The notice of intent can be viewed and comments submitted through the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.
source:USFS press release
photo: Pixabay
