Take Action

The Travel Management rule was built upon fifty years of established standards. The rule relies on a standard that trails are closed unless designated open. The proposed revisions would flip this to open unless designated closed for all new trails, plus an annual review of trails that are closed to motorized use. The Forest Service must reject this "open unless designated closed" proposal in the final rule.

[In your own words, add why protecting trail access is important to you. Highlight your favorite trail and what a change in permitted use would mean by opening it to motorized access. This is not a motorized vs. non-motorized issue — focus on the impact to your organization or trail, not other user groups.]

Additionally, the Forest Service must address the following critical concerns in the Notice of Intent:

• Preserve the Minimization Criteria: Any new "access-oriented framework" must retain the core intent of the original designation criteria to actively minimize user conflicts and environmental degradation.
• Protect the Public Review Process (including NEPA): Clearly define "minor," "iterative," and "clerical" changes so substantive route decisions don't bypass public review, local communities, Tribes, and recreation partners.
• Safeguard Volunteer Investments: The agency relies on volunteers to maintain ~60% of its trail system. Prioritizing motorized access risks alienating this workforce.
• Clarify Class 1 E-Bike Designation: Class 1 e-bikes aren't motorcycles, but they do have a motor. The Draft EIS must detail stakeholder engagement and NEPA analysis for Class 1 e-bike designation, and should not extend motorized exemptions to other e-bike classes.

I ask the Forest Service to adopt the recommendations submitted by American Trails, American Hiking Society, Backcountry Horsemen of America, and other organizations representing trail users.