The Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) is a requirement of the 2005 Final
Travel
Management Rule. The MVUM displays National Forest System (NFS)
routes (roads and trails) and 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, 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 will provide information by ranger district in a black
and white map. 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 and will be
available at the ranger district office and at the Supervisor’s
Office. The MVUM is available on this Web site 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 free copy from Adobe.
MVUM Maps:
- Cimarron National Grassland
2009 map (379 KB pdf) (printed maps now available)
- South Platte Ranger District 2009 map (printed maps available
soon)
- San Carlos Ranger District 2009 map (printed maps available
in May, 2009)
- Leadville Ranger District
2009 map (1.27 Mb pdf) (printed maps available in May 2009)
- Pikes Peak Ranger District
2009 map (726 KB pdf) (printed maps available soon)
- Salida Ranger District
DRAFT 2009 map (1.31 Mb) (hard copy available soon)
- Comanche National Grassland ( electronic copy available
May 2009)
- South Park Ranger District (electronic copy available July
2009)
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?
- How often will MVUMs
be updated?
1. Where can I get a MVUM?
Electronic copies of new or revised MVUMs will be posted on this
Web site as indicated above. They will be available through both
the Rocky Mountain Region and National Forest Service Web sites.
Each district office will have a hard copy of their MVUM for public
viewing purposes prior to the arrival of printed copies for public
distribution.
The public will be notified when printed MVUMs are available at
the respective district offices of the Pike and San Isabel National
Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands (free of charge);
click here for office
locations and contact information.
Other partners and distribution locations may be developed over
time to help disseminate maps.
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2. How many MVUM's are
there for the PSICC?
There is one map for the each of the eight PSICC
ranger districts. These are currently in various stages of being
produced.
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3. How do I print the MVUM?
A full-size version of the MVUM will vary in size 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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4. 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 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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5. 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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6. 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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7. 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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8. Are there road and trail route
marker signs on the ground?
Our goal on the PSICC 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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9. 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.
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10. 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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11. How often will MVUMs be
updated?
Motor vehicle use maps will be updated annually, in January, to
correct mapping errors or discrepancies and update travel decisions.
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