ONC members - 

Proposed Change for National Forests related to trails nationwide.  Opportunity to comment only a few days off. 

A proposal now under consideration would reverse the current default: rather than motorized use being authorized only where designated, trails would be presumed open to motorized use unless specifically posted closed.

Travel Management; National Forest System Lands

A Proposed Rule by the Forest Service on 08/24/2026

This document has a comment period that ends in 6 days. (09/23/2026)

Federal Register Information about proposed changes to the travel management rule

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/24/2026-17211/travel-management-national-forest-system-lands

American Trails Webinar on the proposed changes to the travel management rule and making effective public comments here:https://www.americantrails.org/training/forest-service-travel-management-rule-proposed-changes-to-50-years-of-policy

Recording Description: 

Forest Service Travel Management Rule: Proposed Changes to 50 Years of Policy

TRAIL TOWN HALL: Join American Hiking Society, American Trails, and Back Country Horsemen of America, for a trails town hall on how individuals and organizations can submit comments calling on the Forest Service to maintain parts of the framework of the Travel Management Rule that preserve the “closed unless designated open” criteria.

Proposed Change

A proposal now under consideration would reverse the current default: rather than motorized use being authorized only where designated, trails would be presumed open to motorized use unless specifically posted closed.