Travel Management Planning

Tonto National Forest to hold series of Travel Management Planning open houses during November
PHOENIX (October 26, 2009) – Forest Service officials announced today that there will be a series of Travel Management Planning open houses during the month of November. The public is invited to come and share ideas about the forest’s system of roads, trails, and/or areas, review the proposed system, and submit comments about the proposal. More info

Learn more about travel management at an upcoming open house. Six public open houses are scheduled to explain the process used to review the current route system, the criteria for determining needs for change, and to discuss any issues people may have with the proposed changes to the Forest's motorized vehicle travel system.

• Open House Schedule (pdf)

The proposed changes to the motorized vehicle travel system will allow for sustainable enjoyment and access to the natural and cultural heritage of our landscapes. Over the past four years, the TNF has reviewed and evaluated the current road system and worked with many citizens, organizations, and other federal, state and local agencies. Over the next 30 days we will be seeking additional input from the public on these proposed changes before making a final determination on the designated route system.

• Read more about the proposed action here (pdf).

MAPS: PROPOSED Tonto NF Authorized System Roads

Map dimensions are 34 inches x 44 inches with the exception of the forestwide map which is 48 inches by 62 inches.

• Cave Creek Ranger District (pdf, 4.12 MB)
• Desert Vista Area, Cave Creek Ranger District (pdf, 1.3 MB)
• Globe Ranger District (pdf, 3.6 MB)
• Mesa Ranger District (pdf, 5.2 MB)
• Payson Ranger District (pdf, 4.4 MB)
• Pleasant Valley Ranger District (pdf, 4.0 MB)
• Sycamore Area, Mesa Ranger District (pdf, 1.29 MB)
• Tonto Basin Ranger District (pdf, 4.6 MB)
• Forestwide (pdf, 12 MB)

Your ideas about motorized travel management are welcome. If you recreate on the TNF, we want to hear from you. Stay involved by contacting the forest or your local ranger district office and by providing comments on the proposed action by December 4, 2009.

For example, you can help us by answering questions like:

1. If you think a road, trail, or area should be added to the system-
   1. Where is it and why is it needed? (Is it necessary for safe and efficient travel and for administration, utilization, and protection of National Forest system lands?)
   2. Does it minimize impacts to resources or user conflicts?
   3. Should there be time of day, seasonal, or vehicle-class restrictions?
   4. Should it be open to all motorized vehicles or street-legal vehicles only?
   5. Does it help provide for a balance of user experiences?
2. If you think the use of a road, trail, or area should change-
   1. Where is it and what change are you suggesting?
   2. Why is the change needed? (Is it necessary for safe and efficient travel and for administration, utilization, and protection of National Forest system lands?
   3. Does the change minimize impacts to resources or user conflicts?
   4. Should there be any time of day, season, or vehicle-class restrictions?
   5. Is it providing a balance of user experiences?
3. If you think a road, trail, or area should be closed-
   1. Where is it and why is the closure needed? (Is it necessary for safe and efficient travel and for administration, utilization, and protection of National Forest system lands?)
   2. Does it minimize impacts to resources or user conflicts?
   3. Any suggestions for how the closure should be maintained (for example, using barriers or obliteration)?
4. To help guide our analysis, please provide a map of the road, trail, or area you are discussing if available.

Additional information about travel management planning and making public comments

• Travel Management Presentation (pdf, 8.4 MB)
  NOTE: This is a large file. We recommend that you right click on the link and save the PDF to your computer.
• Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)
• Planning Highlights (pdf)
• Scoping Comment Form (pdf)
• Scoping letter (pdf)

MAPS: Current Tonto NF Authorized System Roads

Please check closure orders posted on front webpage to identify roads which are closed by forest order (wildfires, flooding, etc.)

Click on each section in the map below to see detailed view.

Download the index map here

More Americans than ever are using off-highway vehicles (OHV) to enjoy the outdoors. Last year, OHV users accounted for between 11 and 12 million visits to national forests and grasslands. In the right places, managed carefully, motor vehicles are an appropriate use of national forests. However, if not managed carefully, motorized recreation can damage both the land and the resources that visitors come to enjoy.

Today appropriately managed recreation, including use of OHVs, is a major challenge affecting national forests and grasslands. Policies must be adapted to accommodate an increasing number of OHV users on national forests. This can be accomplished through a sustainable system of designated routes and areas for motor vehicle use.

Motorized recreation is an appropriate use of national forests and grasslands. A managed system of roads, trails, and areas designated for motor vehicle use will better protect natural and cultural resources, address use conflicts, and secure sustainable opportunities for public enjoyment of national forests and grasslands.

Arizona OHV Laws and Places to Ride (pdf)

A New Framework

In 2005, the Forest Service published a new rule for providing motor vehicle access to national forests and grasslands after receiving more than 81,000 comments on a draft rule published in July 2004. Many user groups, environmental groups, and state and local governments endorsed the concept of a designated system of roads, trails, and areas for motor vehicle use.

The final rule requires each national forest and grassland to designate those roads, trails, and areas open to motor vehicle use. Designated routes and areas will be identified on a motor vehicle use map. Motor vehicle use outside of designated routes and areas will be provided for fire, military, emergency, and law enforcement purposes and for use under Forest Service permit. Valid existing rights are honored. The rule also maintains the status quo for snowmobile use, as determined in individual forest plans. The rule itself does not designate roads or areas for motor vehicles but provides a framework for making those decisions at the local level.

What will change?

Criteria	Now	Change
Off-highway use of motorized vehicles	Cross country travel permitted unless posted closed	Cross country travel only in designated areas* or with written permission
Roads open for public motorized use	All existing roads open unless posted closed or restricted	Only designated roads* open
Trails open for public motorized use	All existing trails open unless posted closed or restricted	Only designated trails* open
Areas open for public motorized use	None	Only designated areas* open

*Designated open roads, trails and areas as depicted on the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM)

Designating Motorized Routes

• Travel Management Rule sets nationwide, consistent guidelines for the process
• Regional forester provides region-wide guidelines for the forests
• Forest supervisor provides forest-wide consistency in process
• District rangers are currently in the process of developing a proposal for designated system of roads, trails and areas

The Tonto National Forest, in coordination with the public and interested groups, state, county, and local governments, will designate the roads, trails, and areas for motor vehicle use. This is a public process, and you are encouraged to participate. If you are interested in which routes or areas should be open or closed to motor vehicles, please contact your local ranger district and get involved.

Designations will include class of vehicle and, if appropriate, time of year. Some single-track trails may be designated for motorcycle use only. Other trails will accommodate a wider range of vehicles. Some trails will be managed for nonmotorized use. The key to making these decisions, and ensuring they are sustainable over the long term, will be working together at the local level.

What can you do?

• Review the maps of proposed forest system and compare to roads and trails you use
• Review the Proposed Action and submit your comments to:
  
  USDA Forest Service
  Tonto National Forest
  ATTN: Travel Management Project Leader
  2324 E McDowell Rd
  Phoenix, AZ 85006
  
  By fax to: ATTN: Travel Management Project Leader, (602) 225-5295
  By e-mail to: comments-southwestern-tonto@fs.fed.us

• Contact your forest district office to get involved in process
• Read the Travel Management Rule and accompanying information
• Attend a meeting to become better informed

The national forests and grasslands are shared resources held by all Americans. Recreational visitors experience them in many different ways. Across the country, some of our most effective examples of OHV management involve state and local governments, motorized and nonmotorized users, and other affected citizens working together. Partnerships extend the agency's limited resources to accomplish trail maintenance, restore damage, educate users, and promote a spirit of cooperation among national forest visitors.

Meeting Announcements

Open House Schedule (pdf)

Highlights of New Rule

Designate roads, trails and areas for motor vehicles Designation by class of vehicle, time of year National framework for local decisions Status quo for snowmobiles

Related Links

Forest Service Travel Management Website more Travel Management Rule more Implementation Guidelines more Executive Order more Travel Management State Laws more FAQs more

"We believe that off-highway vehicles are a legitimate use of the National Forest System. But it's a use that should be managed carefully. That's what our new rule for OHV use on national forest land is all about: providing access that can be used and enjoyed into the future. And if we want to sustain that use, then we've got to work together." -- Dale Bosworth, Forest Service, Chief, U.S. retired