VICTORY | US Forest Service rescinds roadless rule reopening millions of acres to motorized use

On June 23, 2025 the US Forest Service rescinded the 2001 Clinton era Roadless Rule that prohibited the construction and reconstruction of roads within 58.5 million acres of Inventoried Roadless Ares (IRA) on National Forest land in the United States. This is a major step to reopen motorized access to our nation’s public lands for agriculture, timber and mineral production and recreation.

The roadless rule has obstructed motorized use of existing roads on public lands within designated IRAs since it’s inception. Through travel management planning, the US Forest Service has closed tens of thousands of miles of small side trails that lead to campsites, existing mineral claims, and other motorized roads that enter inventoried roadless areas. Once designated, inventoried roadless areas become de facto wilderness and inherently disrupt timber operations, mineral exploration, wildfire suppression, and wildfire mitigation.

Arizona Backcountry Explorers applauds Secretory Rollins for eliminating this obstacle to our productive working lands. Among other benefits which are to great to list, this will give motorized access advocates the ability to reopen roads previously closed under travel management regulations. It will also allow for the construction of new roads that will enable timber harvesting and benefit our local communities and backroads. Although this does not achieve our goal of eliminating executive order 11644, it’s a great start.

These roadless areas have faced catastrophic wildfires which have placed our rural cities, towns, and backroads at risk. When our national forest burn due to limited access, unelected bureaucrats are empowered with unprecedented powers. They can assume functions of the state by limiting access, permanently closing roads, and even denying access to private property inholdings.

Interactive map of inventoried roadless areas

Use the map below to view Inventoried roadless areas in the United States that are now rescinded under the Trump Administration. This map demonstrates the massive impact inventoried roadless areas have on US National Forest land.