Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

Recreational Activities

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Off-Highway Vehicles

When considering driving an Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBS) system roads, pay careful attention to regulations mandated by the State of Washington, and the MBS before you head out.

All vehicles operated on National Forest System (NFS) roads must be “street legal”, in accordance with Washington State laws.

OHVs have been driven on NFS roads for a long time. Many riders are under the impression that it’s legal to do so. It has never been legal to operate any non-street legal vehicle on a MBS NFS road that is open to the public.

The following Codes of Federal Regulation prohibit of Off-Highway Vehicles on roadways including NFS roads:

• 36 CFR 54a (this regulation is specific to Washington State),and 36 CFR 261.15 prohibit the operation of any “off-highway vehicle.

  Riding Off-road: If you drive an OHV off the road and through the forest, you will drive over vegetation. Much of the steepness and density of the forests on the western slope of North Cascades are not conducive to this activity. In some extreme cases, riders have gone as far as to cut trees to make trails through the trees. This is illegal! Most importantly, damaging any vegetation or operating any motorized vehicle in a manner that damages vegetation (driving over it) is prohibited by 36 CFR 261.13, 36 CFR 15, 36 CFR 261.6(a), 36 CFR 261.9(a), and 36 CFR 261.10(a). These new additions to the Code of Federal Regulations are effective as of December 15, 2005.

  Fines: Fines for disregarding regulations vary per incident and are generally in the $100 to $300 range but can be up to $5,000 and 6 months in jail. In addition persons who violate these laws can be held liable for any damages they cause to the surrounding vegetation, roads, trails and any other property of the Forest Service.

US Forest Service - Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Last Modified: Friday, 05 May 2006 at 10:56:44 EDT