NORTHERN MICHIGAN – Huron-Manistee National Forests (HMNFs) are changing. The designation of Forest Service roads to include Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) to allow for consistent use across the Forests and other public lands statewide.
With this designation change, the National Forest System (NFS) roads within the HMNFs will be open to OHV use.
“Now we are aligned with most state and local roadways to OHV use, and confusion should be minimized by the public,” said Leslie Auriemmo, Forest Supervisor – HMNFs, “By implementing this designation change, our forest visitors will no longer have to guess if they are in compliance with the law while recreating on state, county and/or National Forest System Roads.”
The HMNFs took public comment last January and February, and conducted a Forest wide Mixed Vehicle Use Analysis of Forest Service roads. Over 80 percent of the comments received by the public were in favor of this designation change.
Based on the analysis, Forest Service Officials have decided that all Forest Service roads, already open to highway legal vehicles, will now be open to OHVs. This excludes roads connected to state or county roads that are closed to OHV use. The proposal also excludes roads on which OHV use would pose a public safety concern; For example, the Hungerford Lake Area roads/trails would NOT be open to OHV use.
The new Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) for the HMNFs Ranger Districts are now in print at each Ranger District Office and available online at Huron-Manistee National Forests Motor Vehicle Use Maps and have been updated to reflect this change
For information call the Mio office at 989-826-3252
