Gifford Pinchot National Forest

	USDA Forest Service Gifford Pinchot National Forest Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
For Immediate Release: July 14, 2005
Contact: Tom Knappenberger (360) 891-5005

Off-Highway Vehicles Remain Illegal on Gifford Pinchot Roads

VANCOUVER, WA – Operating all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and other off-highway vehicles (OHVs) remains illegal on all Gifford Pinchot Roads following legislation passed recently by the Washington State Legislature.

Prior to the legislation (HB 1003), State law prohibited the operation of off-road, or off-highway vehicles on “non-highway” roads, which included many non-paved Forest roads. The legislation gives the Forest Service authority to permit OHV operation on these roads.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Bill Hinkle, R-Cle Elum, says in part: “Except as otherwise provided in this section, it is lawful to operate an off-road vehicle upon a non-highway road and in parking areas serving designated off-road vehicle areas if the state, federal, local, or private authority responsible for the management of the non-highway road authorizes the use of off-road vehicles.”

“That does not mean these roads are immediately open for OHV use,” said Ron Freeman, Gifford Pinchot National Forest Engineer. “Some might be suitable. Others are not. We would have to study them to determine their suitability. Right now, we do not have the staff or funding for such an effort.”

Freeman said Forest officials will decide later this year whether to budget for studying possible OHV use of some Forest roads.

In the meantime, the Forest has issued a closure order keeping the pre-legislation status-quo that prohibits the operation of vehicles not equipped for highway use on all Forest roads, paved and unpaved. Other Washington national forests are reacting to the new legislation in various ways, from keeping the ban to opening some roads to OHV use.

The Gifford Pinchot Forest does maintain approximately 40 miles of trails for OHV use.

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US Forest Service
Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Vancouver, WA
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument - Amboy, WA
Last Modified: Thursday, 14 July 2005 at 14:42:31 EDT