By Bob Difley
If you haven’t yet heard about the Forest Service’s Travel Management Rule (TMR) you soon will. And it could change some critical “dispersed camping” (boondocking) rules for a long time to come.
The writing of this rule has been in the works for years. Each individual forest supervisor has been instructed to define and map every legally constructed road within his district and any not so defined will be declared illegal roads on which motor vehicles will be prohibited. It will also define trails for use by OHVs.
So far so good. We probably wouldn’t want to drive our rigs on bootlegged roads created by 4-wheelers and hunters or those designated for OHVs anyway, choosing those that were built by forest service engineers and substantial enough to handle fire fighting equipment and heavy cattle and logging trucks.
But then it gets a little murky. The rule says you cannot camp any further off the road than one vehicle length, except for those sites that have been designated as “dispersed camping” areas, and which will be included on the forest map. The supervisor designates those areas that will be defined as dispersed camping areas and boondocking will be limited to those areas–no more camping anywhere.
This is where there could be potential conflict. The supervisor, for example, could just designate those areas that can accommodate many RVs, but not authorize single campsites (which are usually the most private and nesty) and might be one of your favorites.
So far the official response to questions has been that all those spots that have been used in the past for boondocking (dispersed camping) will be included as official and legal campsites, but hacking new campsites out of the forest will not be allowed. This is good and if that is the case most of us boondockers will not be affected. But . . . it is still up to the supervisor, and if he/she is more interested in ease of patrolling the forest, he/she could restrict boondockers to group dispersed camping areas and not authorize individual sites.
The plan is still coming together. Some forests have already completed the maps for their forests and they are available at ranger offices or online–you can find the completed Motor Vehicle Use Maps here. I suggest that when you enter any national forest that you stop at the regional ranger office and ask about the TMR, whether it is in effect, and pick up the appropriate map for where you intend to camp–and make sure that dispersed camping areas are defined and located on the map. There is a very good reason to do this–failure to camp in an authorized area can result in a fine of up to $5,000, though this much fine would apply to flagrant violators. But who determines that. Ask questions. And if you find out some valuable and pertinent information, please let me know.
For those who like to wade through government publications, here is the link to the Travel Management Rule when it was authorized. But each individual forest is different, and will have slightly different interpretations of the rule, so again. ask questions.
Check out my website for more RVing tips and destinations and for my ebooks, BOONDOCKING: Finding the Perfect Campsite on America’s Public Lands, Snowbird Guide to Boondocking in the Southwestern Deserts, and 111 Ways to Get the Biggest Bang out of your RV Lifestyle Dollar.
,
Pingback: Signature Red Bottom Shoes
Pingback: Heels Red Bottoms
Pingback: url
Pingback: Scholarships For African Americans
hoppe
Now that I could use some wheels to see more of the National Forests, it stands to reason that they’d take away a bunch of the roads.
I’m sure they are short on funds at the Forest Service, since they’ve privatized management of the CGs, etc.
Pingback: New rules are on the way for boondocking | I Love RVing
William Fincher
Ya know what! After reading these comments of these fine AMERICANS,
I shifted my thoughts from the travel management rule.
As a fellow American vet. etc.
(DONT) ever quit loving the land our forfathers are resting.
Keep the faith,stay in position,God bless.
Big Bubba
This push for more restriction and control over public lands has been going on for years, and has nothing to do with the current administration. Here is a link to the final rulemaking regulation: http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/final.pdf, It was published in 2006. And it refers to initial legislation going back to 1972! Point being, nothing new about the legislators and bureaucrats managing public lands. Bob, thanks for pointing this out. It is great advice to check with the specific FS or BOR office to find out what their rules are, and save hassle and potential fines.
Geoffrey Pruett
If the urge to point fingers at the problems with the best legislature money can buy start by pointing at that person in the mirror. How many of us have voted “party” instead of following positions, voted possible damage to bank balance over what is best for your state/nation, voted against a candidate without knowing what they stood for? The time when candidates for public office followed the will of the voters vanished along with the news(?)/media major failure in basic manners over market share. If you feel strongly about issues in public life make your voice heard by emailing you congress members and if you really feel strongly run for office, just consider what you could be doing to your family by exposing them to our manner less media.
Ace August
Even though many will think R Gary forgot his meds this morning, he does speak a lot of truth. His letter is more about how screwed up our government is than about camping – but who doesn’t think our government is a mess. Rock on Gary.
R. Gary Cousineau
Forty years ago I was envied by all my friends for my motor home and ability to live like a king just about anywhere on very little money.
For years I was punishes for losing the war in Viet Nam by being forced to pay one third of what I got in taxes used to pay crazy, stupid, addicted, dysfuntctional b-words to breed like cockroaches including many that snuck into the country.
They are now in control, working for the rich, running off RVer’s.
I write and have lived in Toyota motorhomes I convert into high tech mobile offices, on and off since my return from Viet Nam in 69.
I’m a kind, considderate, polite, clean, quiet, natural, decorated veteran with a clean record and perfect driving record. I don’t drink, smoke, dope or run with b-words and am not gay or bisexual either…LOL!
All of which is ususally what gets you in trouble….LOL!
Most of the predators I helped pay to breed, not in prison or too crazy are being used to control, manipulate and punish the rest of us that don’t submit to that insanity.
The rest are being used to exterminate the enemies of Israel.
After recent years of having people I paid taxed to breed, pound on my door without probable cause, not being considered innocent till proven guilty and searching my place without a warrant, it has dawned on me that I have paid to breed what could easily become my own executioners…
It’s just like what happened to the Jews did in Nazi Germany that paid taxes used to breed the anal lusting Nazi’s that pushed six million men, women and children into gas champers.
The first Christians into Germany were Jews who taught the German aristocracy how to utilize the Sodom and Gomorrah scam to manipulate homosexuals to betray themselves in order to breed self loathing predators that would kill anybody for money.
Germany also created the first financial incentives like food stamps, welfare and government housing used for paying crazy, stupid, addicted dysfunctional women to breed like cockroaches the unnatural predators that would kill people they didn’t know or hate for money.
Predator breeding has always been based on the fact that a B-word who Fuc*s for money will produce a SOB that will kill for money.
Historically, Germany has rented those predators all over the world which made them rich beyond belief- including the hundred fifty thousand Hessians from Germany that King George sent over to punish the Americans during the American revolution.
When these predators are done exterminating the enemies of Israel I believe they’ll get rid of the rest of the motor home people, especially Viet Nam veterans.
This immoral war were in, betraying previous Arab friends that helped us cut of the German oil supply which more than any other factor won us WW2 is about to bankrupt us.
Betraying our constitutions separation of church and state by taking sides in a religious bassed war and paying to breed the people that are doing it has bankrupted us morally and financially.
The forty million Russians we took in after the supposed fall of the Soviet Union that are about to burry us and we have already paid to breed our own executioners- just like Premiere Khruchev said we would as he pounded his shoe on the table at the UN during the Cuban missile crisis.
Victims of Genetic engineering (through religion) paying to breed our own executioners.
Comments? [email protected]
natgild
No wonder our government is broke! I wonder how many tax dollars it took to come up with the “Travel Management Rule”
butterbean carpenter
Howdy Bob,
KEEP THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE HINTERLANDS !!!! Then the ‘poachers’ can
rape the forest at will and the MJ ‘farmers can ‘farm’ more land… WAR ON DRUGS
HA HA HA there’s more MJ grown on government land than Mexico… The campers
keep a lot of them out… With the ‘overseers’ in DC on the take, you think the underpaid rangers WON’T, and the drug ‘farmers’ have the $$$$…
Smooth roads, clear skies & balmy breezes !!!!!!!!!!
sandpirate
I agree with Roger and Tom. I have 15+ years as a LEO in the state of Florida. It has been in the works for several years to keep as much of the public out of “Public Land”. The State Legislature claims that the land should be as it was 50 years ago. But, what they fail to understand is that our population has quadrupled since then. So, there are many more people trying to enjoy the outdoors. This may be families camping, hunting, fishing, & RVing. In Florida the primitive camping sites have been reduced. RV parking is also being reduced under the premise, that the RV’s leave a foot print behind. I just Rved in an area that I have a hunting lease. While setting up my equipment I picked up garbage bags with numerous plastic items and other refuge. So we really have to blame ourselves for some of these issues. But, I agree Big Brother needs to step back & look at the impact of their decisions upon an American Past Time.
Howard Barron
Yeah, I think ONE of the reasons might be because of the drought conditions, like it is here in Texas, right now. We are having a terrible time here with people throwing cigarettes out the windows of their vehicles, not realizing what dangers they are putting everyone in, especially us residents. Just take a look along the Interstate Highways at the burned out spots of grass and wooded areas. Please don’t take my comments to mean any one particular type of driver, its a small per centage of all drivers. Absolutely, ask questions !
Sue Tsuda
I didn’t read the post from Mr. Diffey to say that we were going to lose all access to Forest Service areas – just some roads that would be off limits anyway for most reasonable RV drivers. If some forest managers decide to close their forests to all traffic might there be a good reason – like the fires that burned up a great deal of New Mexico forests this summer? Maybe asking a few questions first might be in order?
Roger
I guess the fact that the National Forests belong to all the people, is a bunch of malarkey. It has always been our tax money that provides the overseeing of them. Many cases our money was the purchase of them. Now the bureaucrats show up and make it all special interests, and unavailable to the folks that paid for them. They wish to patrol less? Good, then they won’t know if I’m parked illegally or not.
Back when I started camping in CO, (early 60s) there were no RV parks, and few private campgrounds. Most federal campgrounds were free, yet some were $3. a night if they had special attention, or in a high usage area. State CGs were a bit more, but fewer. These CGs were open year around, (facilitating the hunters in winter). We generally saw a Ranger once a day, as he would stop by to touch up the ‘two holers’, add a couple rolls of stiff paper, make sure our drainage was proper on our campers, and even chat for awhile if his time allowed. He, or she, might even check a couple of fishing licenses if we were in such an area. One ranger had hundreds of square miles he had to cover in a day. The point I’m making is, things were great, and folks were for the most part law abiding. Boondocking was considered the norm, and many of the old CC camps or mining roads and lumber trails were open for such.. You brought in everything you were going to use, and you took home nothing but pictures (and a few trout if you were lucky), and one of the greatest experiences in the world..
The point I’m making is, aren’t we so richly rewarded and lucky to have advanced so far as to lose everything that has meant so much to us over the years.
It doesn’t matter, does it. We’re losing America, either by giving it away, or letting our mentally ill congress take it from us. They’ve ruined the RV sales except for the very elite… and it won’t be long before the entire industry is kaput. Theres no where to camp anymore except in concrete city. Over population? Greed? Socialism? Lack of respect… maybe trust, for who’s out there camping? Lack of training for the campers? Or just plain attitudes of the bureaucrats as well as the people that misuse our public lands. I’m sorry to see it happen, but have seen it coming for years. So, I guess ‘the people’ really don’t own the National parks and forests at all… just a farce in terminology to have us pay even more in taxes and not get anything for it. Aren’t you proud? The Eagle cries.
Gary
I can only echo the above remarks. We all know some forethought and care is required to manage our forests. However, from what I have seen, and you mentioned earlier, if you leave the decision to the moniteriarly strapped forest service, the cheapest way is to just “close it down” attitude. I have seen national historic “roads” sold off and no passage is allowed that had been open for 3000 years. Try to go thru’ and you are trespassing on “private property” that should remain open. Not even open to county fire. Montana has been sold to Ted Turner…. And the state doesn’t have to worry about that land anymore..
I could go on and “rant” over land closures, but I like to keep the o’ blood pressure under control. Thanks for the info. Be looking forward to more reports and updates.
W6PEA
Bob
interesting read……I will not post what i really feel about “Change is coming that will affect how and where we boondock” because if I did I probably would be banned from RV Net. I will say this it’s a sad state of affairs what the administration is doing to our public lands.
Tom S
I’ve talked to some area supervisors that don’t think humans should have any access to our forests.
“Any government large enough to give you everything is also large enough to take everything away”.