The Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) is a requirement
of the 2005 Final Travel
Management Rule and is a product of the 1997 revision of the
Forest Plan and travel management decisions on each ranger district.
The MVUM displays National Forest System (NFS) routes (roads and
trails) or areas designated as open to motorized travel. The MVUM
also displays allowed uses by vehicle class (ex. highway-legal vehicles,
vehicles less than 50 inches wide and motorcycles), seasonal allowances,
distance allowances, and provides information on other travel rules
and regulations. Routes not shown on the MVUM are not open to public
motor vehicle travel. Routes designated for motorized use may not
always be signed on the ground but will be identified on the MVUM.
It will be the public’s responsibility to reference the MVUM
to stay on designated routes for motor vehicle use. The MVUM will
be updated annually, in January, to correct mapping errors or discrepancies
and update travel decisions.
The MVUM is a black and white map with no topographic features.
It is a map for legal designations of where you can travel with
various motorized vehicles, but for additional reference it is best
used in conjunction with a Forest Visitor Map or other detailed
map. The MVUM is free to the public at each local Ranger District
office and at the Supervisor’s Office. The MVUM is available
on this website and sections of it may be printed from your home
computer.
If you do not already have a copy of Adobe
Acrobat Reader you can download a copy from Adobe.
MVUM Maps:
- Boulder Ranger District (Available December 31, 2009)
- Canyon Lakes Ranger District (Available December 31, 2008)
- Clear Creek Ranger District (Available December 31, 2009)
- Pawnee National Grassland
- East Side:
back side of map without legend (pdf, 169KB)
- West Side:
front side of map with legend (pdf, 366KB)
- Sulphur Ranger District Maps:
- North
half: front side of map with regulations and visitor information
revised in May, 2008 (pdf, 749.87KB)
- South
half: back of map without regulations and visitor information
revised in May, 2008 (pdf, 437.55KB)
- Table
of changes to SRD MVUM Map from 2007 to 2008 (pdf, 39.96
KB)
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get a MVUM?
How many MVUM's are there?
How do I print the MVUM?
What does a MVUM show
me?
Does the MVUM also show mechanized
and non-motorized trails and over-snow uses?
What do you mean by vehicle
class?
What do you mean by season
allowance?
Are there road and trails route
marker signs on the ground?
When will the MVUM
become enforceable?
After MVUMs are available
to the public in map form and on the web, what will be the USFS
enforcement strategy?
If different ranger
districts are on-schedule at different times to publish a MVUM,
how will the variations between districts be enforced?
Where can I get a MVUM?
Maps will be posted on this website and available through both
the Rocky Mountain Region and National Forest Service websites.
Paper copies of these maps will be available free of charge at each
of the Forest Service offices in Boulder, Fort Collins, Granby,
Greeley and Idaho Springs. Other partners and distribution locations
may be developed over time to help disseminate maps.
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How many MVUM's are there for
the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland(ARP)?
There is one map for the each of five ARP Ranger Districts. These
are currently in various stages of being produced. MVUM
map schedule
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How do I print the MVUM?
A full-size version of the MVUM is 36” x 44” and cannot
be printed on conventional home printers. A full-size version can
only be printed from a large plotter. Many local copy shops, engineering
and survey businesses can print the map.
To be readable, only a portion of the MVUM can be printed on 8
½” x 11” paper using home printers. With Adobe
Acrobat®, use the “Print Current View” function
to print the view on your screen. It is recommended that the legend
box be printed to aid in interpretation of the MVUM.
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What does a MVUM show me?
- The map displays all National Forest System roads, trails and
designated areas allowing public motor vehicle use. This is commonly
referred to as designation. It also states that driving off designated
roads and trails is prohibited (36 CFR 261.13)
- Motorized use includes but is not limited to Motorcycles, ATV’s,
and 4-wheel drive vehicles.
- Designation details include vehicle class, time of year, and
motorized access for the purpose of dispersed camping (camping
in established locations other than campgrounds).
- The MVUM also shows roads where only highway-legal vehicles
are allowed because of user safety considerations.
Limited motor vehicle access may occur on routes not shown on the
MVUM for the purpose of administrative access by Forest Service
personnel; for fire and law enforcement; for emergency purposes;
and by persons authorized by a written special use permit or contract
from the Forest Service.
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Does the MVUM also show mechanized
and non-motorized trails and over-snow vehicle uses?
No, a visitor map or recreation opportunity map will provide information
on over-snow and non-motorized routes, including mechanized trails,
hiking, and horse trails. Over-snow vehicle use is exempted from
designations on the MVUM. Regardless of what other maps (including
the Forest Visitor Map) may show as motorized routes, only
those routes identified on the MVUM are designated as open to public
motorized use and legal for public motorized travel.
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What do you mean by vehicle class?
By vehicle class we are referring to size or type of motorized vehicles.
The following are typical MVUM vehicle class and route designations:
- Roads open to highway legal vehicles only
- Roads open to all vehicles (licensed and unlicensed)
- Trails open to vehicles 50 inches or less in width (ATV, motorcycle,
etc.)
- Trails open to all (full size) vehicles (trails may be rugged
and narrow- intended for 4x4s)
- Trails open to motorcycles only (single track)
It’s important to understand that routes and areas shown
open to certain vehicle classes does not mean they are maintained
for or suitable for travel using those vehicles. It simply means
it is legal to use them. For example, many low standard roads may
be open to all motor vehicles. This designation includes passenger
cars, although it may not be prudent to drive this type of vehicle
on the route due to the condition of the surface or during inclement
weather.
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What do you mean by a season
allowance?
Some routes or areas may be open only during certain times of the
year for various reasons such as to reduce wildlife disturbance,
protect users from unsafe or impassable conditions and to reduce
impacts to other resource values, like soil, water, and vegetation.
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Are there road and trail route marker
signs on the ground?
On the ARP our goal is to have most, if not all, of our motorized
travel routes signed at primary junctions, at any given time. In
some cases, a route marker may exist at the entrance of the road/trail
with symbols indicating which classes of vehicles are allowed. Routes
designated for motorized uses will be identified on the MVUM. The
MVUM is an enforcement tool to ensure individuals are on the correct
route. It is the responsibility of the user to determine if they
are on a route designated for the motor vehicle being used. MVUM's
will be developed for each forest nationwide. It is not only a tool
for motorized users, but also a consistent and standardized law
enforcement tool.
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When will the MVUM
become enforceable?
The MVUM becomes enforceable when the map has been posted to the
web and is available to the public in a hard copy format. Typically,
the maps will be posted on the web first. Hard copy maps will be
available 30 to 60 days after the web posting. Enforcement will
begin when both types of maps are available to the public.
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After MVUMs are available
to the public in map form and on the web, what will be the USFS
enforcement strategy?
When new regulations are posted, the Forest Service provides some
time to educate the public about the specifics of the regulation.
A law enforcement officer contact with the public is a great opportunity
to provide information education and create awareness about MVUM.
However, law enforcement officers can issue a notice of violation
anytime after the MVUM is publicly available.
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If different ranger districts
are on-schedule at different times to publish a MVUM, how will the
variations between districts be enforced?
We will retain our existing Forest Closure Order for travel management
(10-00-03) for ranger districts that don't have a publicly available
MVUM. As ranger districts publish their MVUMs, they will be removed
from travel rule regulations in Forest Closure Order 10-00-03 and
the MVUM will be the new motor vehicle use regulation.
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