Off-Roading Doesn’t Mean Running Over Law

Right now, there are more than a half-million miles of open back-country roads and trails in the United States. Unfortunately, some people still think they need to create their own roadways on public and private land.

These few scofflaws have helped 42 percent of public lands come under increased restrictions and closure because of environmental abuses during the last 15 years.

Most people who buy a vehicle with off-highway capability know the extra power, heavy duty suspension, aggressive tires and other accessories should be used responsibly.

Actually the majority of these vehicles never leave a paved road. But each spring, a few people scar the land, generally in very visible areas, by going off-road in undesignated areas.

The distinction between off-highway and off-road driving is simple. On public land, unless an area is specifically designated for off-road use, motorized vehicles are prohibited. The same holds for trails.

Off-highway, as the term implies, refers to all motorized travel off designated highways - generally on designated roadways or even roadless areas.

On private land, basic trespass law applies first. It’s easiest to remember that if you don’t have permission to be on the land, you’re trespassing.

But even if a person has permission to punch the accelerator on private ground, they shouldn’t let responsibility fly with the mud. Soil displacement, plant damage, and damage to streams can all result in fines and jail time for both the off-roader and the land-owner. In some cases, vehicles have been impounded and seized.

So, if you find a road in the woods, can you safely assume it’s OK to drive on it? How about cutting across a piece of open ground to get to that other road? If it’s just an old clay knob, can you lock in the hubs and try to climb it?

The answer to those question is no, no and no.

No, that is, unless you take the responsibility to call the appropriate agencies and individuals ahead of time and verify that what you want to do is allowed there. Written permission is always better.

Maps may help but they are often outdated. Still, study them and bring them with you. Road closures are often made seasonally or after a lot of precipitation, so it’s always best to check first.

But what if you don’t know where you’ll end up on that weekend trek? While we all enjoy a sense of discovery, the responsibility for motorized land use, roaded or not, rests squarely with the vehicle operator.

Besides, not having a planned trip or traveling without someone who does, is not safe. Mechanical problems or a vehicle stuck in the mud can mean a long walk out if other people don’t know where to look for you.

In 1986, the U.S. Forest Service launched the Tread Lightly! program, and in 1990 it was formed into a private, nonprofit organization. Tread Lightly! seeks to protect public and private land through education, by teaching teach responsible use of off-highway vehicles.

A $20 annual membership funds the organization’s educational programs directed at ecologically responsible motorized land use. With more than 550 million visitors annually to public land in the U.S., education is essential.

And the corporate sector is helping, too. The Jeep division of Chrysler Corp. is a major sponsor of Tread Lightly!, and this summer is also sponsoring “Jamboree USA,” a series of off-road challenges for even the most seasoned off-highway driver (the toughest is the Rubicon Trail in Northern California).

For more information, contact Tread Lightly! 298 24th St. Suite 325-C, Ogden, UT. Phone (801) 627-0077 or fax (801) 621-8633.