Trump Forest Service proposes default access for off-road vehicles on Colorado federal lands
The U.S. Forest Service plans to reverse a long-standing rule, allowing motorized recreation on most Colorado federal roads and trails unless specific protections are later imposed.
The Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is preparing a Federal Register notice that would flip the default access rule for off-road vehicles on Colorado’s federal lands, making motorized travel permissible unless a specific exemption is granted. The move follows the recent repeal of the 25-year-old Roadless Area Conservation Rule and could impact roughly 200 million acres of forest and grassland across the West.
Earthjustice senior attorney Thomas Delehanty says the shift threatens quiet recreation areas and endangered species, while Trails Preservation Alliance director Chad Hixon points out that only about 2,800 of Colorado’s 28,000 miles of single-track are currently motorized, and the clubs seek broader, managed access. Conservationists such as Center for Western Priorities’ Kate Groetzinger argue the policy would raise wildfire danger and remove public input from land-use decisions. The rule-making process, including public comments and revisions, is not expected to be completed before 2028, leaving both sides to prepare for a potentially contentious outcome.
Why it matters
The rule could dramatically reshape public-land recreation, wildlife protection, and fire risk across millions of acres.
In this story
