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Driving Your Off Highway Vehicle on BLM Public Lands in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota

Driving Your OHV on Public Lands
If you drive a car, truck, all terrain vehicle, four wheeler or motorcycle on public lands in Montana, North Dakota or South Dakota, you must stay on roads and trails. On June 18, 2003, BLM issued a decision that prohibited "cross-country" travel on BLM lands in order to minimize user conflicts and protect fragile soils, riparian areas, vegetation and wildlife. In addition, individual BLM offices may close or open particular routes. Obey signs, carry a map and check with your local BLM field office to obtain current travel information. Other public land management agencies also prohibit cross-country travel.

What is "driving cross-country"?
Driving cross-country means operating a motorized, wheeled vehicle off a road or trail. This brochure will show you what kinds of travel are considered cross-country and are prohibited. The brochure will also show you what is permitted.

Exceptions to the Rule
There are several exceptions to the cross-country prohibition:

• Travel for military needs, fire suppression, search and rescue or law enforcement emergency vehicles is allowed.
• BLM permittees may travel cross-country for the administration of their permit.
• Snowmobiles are not impacted by this prohibition.
• This policy does not apply to six areas within the BLM that are designated as intensive use areas. These areas are: South Hills near Billings, Terry OHV area, Glasgow OHV area, Fresno OHV area, Radersburg OHV area and lands addressed in the Elkhorn Mountains Travel Management Plan.
• BLM public land user may drive cross-country to campsites within 300 feet of existing roads and
  trails after locating their campsite in a non-motorized fashion.

What is NOT OK?

• It is not OK to travel cross-country to retrieve big game.
• Off-highway vehicles should not drive off roads or trails. If you're "breaking trail" by driving on
  undisturbed ground and crushing vegetation, STOP.
• OHVs should not drive on single-track trails. If your vehicle is wider than the road or trail, STOP.
• Pickups should not drive on two-track trails smaller than the width of the vehicle. The vehicle shouldn't be wider than the route.
• Don't drive on livestock or game trails. If there are only hoof and paw prints, don't add your tire tracks.

Driving Etiquette
Providing recreational opportunities and managing the resource values for the public to enjoy depends on everyone's cooperation when recreating on OHVs. Remember to follow these tips when driving on public lands:

• Stay on existing roads and trails.
• Avoid riparian areas and wetlands. They provide habitat for more than 70 percent of wildlife and aquatic species.
• Avoid steep slopes. While they provide a challenge for drivers, repeated travel on them can cause serious erosion and introduce sediment into streams.
• Ensure that your vehicle's undercarriage and tires are not carrying weed seeds, and wash vehicles before and after traveling roads and trails. The spread of noxious weeds has become a serious threat to wildlife habitat and rangelands.
• Do not approach or chase wildlife. They are stressed by many forms of human use.
• Protect and respect cultural resources, such as, old cabins, historic mining sites, fossil areas and traditional cultural properties. They are an important part of our heritage; leave them for others to enjoy.

What IS OK?

• Travel to a temporary campsite is allowed within 300 feet of a road or trail. Don't drive off-road to look for your camp spot.
• OHVs may drive within a two-track road or trail. Here the road is wider than the vehicle.
• Motorcycles may travel on single-track trails. OHVs and pickups may use two-track roads and trails. Again, if the route is wider than the vehicle, you're OK.
• Motorcycles may drive on game or livestock trails ONLY if they have had repeated use by motorcycles in the past. All other vehicles need to stay off game and livestock trails.
• Vehicles may travel on existing routes where plants grow in obvious wheel depressions.

BLM Offices

For more information about specific areas, call or visit the offices listed below. For policy information on the OHV program and a statewide overview, contact the Montana State Office. For information about access for visitors with disabilities, contact the local BLM office.

BLM/MT/GI-03/016

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