Forest Service proposes presuming existing forest routes open

Roads, trails, airfields and trailheads on national forest land would be presumed open to the public unless the Forest Service documents a reason to close them, under a rulemaking the agency has opened.

The change would apply to public users of national forest routes nationwide, including in the Tongass and Chugach national forests. Under the current framework, a route not shown on a Motor Vehicle Use Map is not legally open. The Alaska Region's long-range transportation plan states it plainly: "Routes not shown on the MVUM are not open to public motor vehicle travel." The Forest Service is explicit that the new presumption would guide future decisions rather than immediately reopen anything. It "would not itself change the legal status of any road, trail, airfield, trailhead, area, or other access route or point."

The notice of intent, filed under 36 CFR part 212, starts an environmental impact statement and a rulemaking. Closure or restriction would still be allowed where required by law, valid existing rights or another governing instrument, or where supported by documented reasons tied to science-based resource conditions, public safety, conflicts among uses, or maintenance and administrative capacity. The agency would have to review every closed or highly restricted road, trail, airfield and trailhead annually. The proposal also sets conditions for limited off-route motorized use, such as downed big-game retrieval, firewood collection and dispersed camping, and for designating areas for over-snow recreation.

Aerial imagery would not be enough. Public data sets may show that a route or airfield exists, the notice says, but would not by themselves establish that it is part of the forest transportation system, that the Forest Service holds jurisdiction or legal access, or that it is open to any particular use.

Existing motor vehicle use designations and maps would remain in effect until they are revised under the amended regulations, meaning until they are updated at the local level.

USDA separately proposed rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule nationwide on Aug. 18, which Alaska News covered on Aug. 21. That proposal would end road-building and logging bans across roughly 9.3 million roadless acres in the Tongass and roadless land in the Chugach. Comments on it close Sept. 21.

Comments on the travel management proposal are due in writing by Sept. 23, either through regulations.gov under docket FS-2026-0100 or by hard-copy letter to the Director, Public Benefits, 201 14th Street SW, Public Benefits Office, Washington, DC 20250. The EIS will study alternatives, including for Alaska.