Carrying a Travel Management Map in Wyoming

Wyoming’s open country can make a ride feel simple right up until a route crosses onto land with different rules. A travel management map helps you see where motorized travel is allowed, but it is not a pass to ride anywhere shown. Here’s how to choose the right map, use it alongside signs and closures, and avoid treating an uncertain route as open.

What a travel management map can and cannot tell you

A travel management map shows how a land manager has designated roads and trails for motorized use. Depending on the map, it may also show vehicle restrictions, seasonal dates, width limits, or other conditions. For an ATV or UTV ride, its main job is to help you identify an authorized route and understand where that authorization ends.

It does not replace your Wyoming ORV permit, a land-use permit where one is required, or the land manager’s rules. Nor does a line on a general recreation map automatically mean that ATVs and UTVs may use that route. The map’s title, publisher, date, legend, and coverage area all matter.

There is no single travel map that covers every public and private route in Wyoming. Different agencies manage different land, and neighboring areas may use different route designations. A ride could begin on an enrolled route, cross onto national forest land, and then reach a road managed by the Bureau of Land Management. You need information for each part of the trip.

For a useful overview of map types and how to identify the right one for your ride, see Which Travel Map You Must Carry in Wyoming. For more on designated routes across the state, see Wyoming’s Enrolled Roads and Trails.

Maps for national forests

On national forest land, the Motor Vehicle Use Map, often called an MVUM, is an important source for identifying routes open to motorized travel. It may show which roads and trails are open to certain vehicle types, along with seasonal restrictions. A route that appears on a general forest recreation map may not be open to motorized use; check the MVUM and its legend rather than assuming that a visible road or trail is legal to ride.

The map applies to the forest area and rules it covers. If your route leaves the forest, you will need the appropriate information for the next land manager. Find more detail in [Wyoming Rules for Riding a National Forest] and Wyoming Trail Maps and MVUMs.

Maps for BLM land

BLM travel maps and route information can identify motorized routes and restrictions on BLM-managed ground. The map’s coverage may be limited to a particular field office or planning area, so confirm that it includes the exact location you plan to ride. A BLM map does not establish access across private property or another agency’s land.

For land-specific riding rules, see [Wyoming Rules for Riding BLM Land]. If your route crosses a boundary, treat that boundary as a prompt to check the next agency’s information, not as a reason to keep following the same map without verification.

Maps for enrolled roads and trails

Wyoming’s enrolled route information is useful for understanding routes in the state system, but it is not a substitute for federal land maps. An enrolled segment has a defined location and may have limits or seasonal conditions. Do not assume the designation continues onto a connecting road just because the route looks continuous on the ground.

The map should help you identify where an enrolled segment starts and ends. For related information, see When a Map Marks a Route Open.

How to read the map before you ride

A quick look at a map can miss the restriction that matters most. Before heading out, check the map’s coverage, legend, vehicle categories, dates, and notes. If any of those are unclear, confirm the route with the agency responsible for that land.

Confirm the map covers your entire route

Trace the whole ride, not just the trailhead or destination. Look for land boundaries, route breaks, and places where the ride changes from a road to a trail or crosses onto another management area. If the route leaves the map’s coverage, find the map or current route information for the next area before you go.

A road may also lead to a trailhead without being open for the same uses as the trail. The approach route and the riding route are separate questions: check both.

Read the legend and restrictions

Map symbols can distinguish among roads, motorized trails, nonmotorized routes, closed routes, and routes with limits. Some maps use different symbols or colors for seasonal access and vehicle classes. Do not rely on color alone; consult the legend and any accompanying notes.

Check especially for:

• A maximum vehicle width or other vehicle-size restriction.
• A seasonal opening or closing period.
• A route limited to a particular vehicle type.
• A designation that permits travel only on the road, not on the surrounding land.
• A notice that the map is informational or that additional restrictions apply.

When a map provides a width limit, compare it with the machine’s relevant measurement and the land manager’s method for measuring it. A route suitable for a narrow ATV may not be suitable for a wider UTV. See Wyoming Rules for a Designated Route for more on route restrictions.

Check dates and updates

A printed map can remain useful for orientation but may not reflect a new closure, changed route designation, fire restriction, or temporary condition. Check the land manager’s current notices before the trip, particularly if you are riding early or late in the season or after severe weather or wildfire activity.

A date printed on a map is not proof that every route on it remains open. Look for the latest version available from the agency, and check for alerts that apply after the map was published. If the route is important to your plan, contact the managing office and ask about that specific segment.

Map or information source	What it can help confirm	What it does not establish
National forest MVUM	Motorized routes and restrictions within its coverage	Permission to ride beyond the forest or outside the route designation
BLM travel map or route information	Route designations and limits in the covered BLM area	Access across private land or other agencies’ land
Wyoming enrolled route information	The location and conditions of enrolled segments	That a connecting road is enrolled or open
General recreation map	Orientation, recreation features, and broad route context	Current legal motorized access by itself
On-the-ground signs and closure notices	Local restrictions or changing conditions	That every nearby route is open

Carrying a map that will still help in the field

A map is most useful when you can read it, locate yourself on it, and keep using it if your phone loses signal or battery. Choose a format that fits the route and your riding conditions. Some riders carry a printed map, some use an offline digital map, and many carry both.

Prepare an offline copy

If you use a phone or GPS device, download the map and relevant route information before leaving reliable service. Do not assume that a map will load on demand in a remote area. Confirm that the downloaded layer includes the legal route designations, not just topography or general trails.

Charge devices before the ride and consider how you will keep them powered. A phone is useful for positioning, but it can be damaged, depleted, or difficult to read in bright light. A screenshot or downloaded map is not a complete backup if it leaves out the legend, scale, or land boundary.

Keep a paper map readable

A printed map can provide a broad view without draining a battery. Fold it so the area you need is accessible, and protect it from water, dust, and abrasion. A clear waterproof sleeve can help; outdoor retailers and Amazon sell map-protection options, but choose one that fits the map and remains usable with gloves.

A paper map is not automatically more current or more authoritative than a digital one. Check its publication date and source, and carry enough detail to read route numbers and boundaries. If your trip crosses multiple management areas, a single small overview map may not show enough detail to navigate or verify a restriction.

Carry supporting details, not just a route line

Write down or save the route name, route number, map edition, land manager contact information, and any relevant closure notice. If the map refers you to additional rules or a separate map, keep that information available too. A route line without its legend and conditions can be misleading.

A simple pre-ride routine helps:

1. Identify every land manager along the planned route.
2. Find the current map or route information for each area.
3. Trace the full route and note boundaries, restrictions, and seasonal limits.
4. Download digital maps or pack printed copies with their legends.
5. Check current alerts shortly before departure.
6. Recheck signs and closures as you ride.

This preparation does not guarantee access. Conditions can change, and a legal route can close temporarily. It does make it easier to recognize when the plan needs to change.

What to do when the map and the ground do not match

Maps and signs can appear to conflict. A route may be marked open on a map but blocked by a gate or a closure sign. A sign may be missing, damaged, or difficult to interpret. Do not use uncertainty as permission to continue.

Treat a closure notice seriously

If you reach a sign that says the route is closed, stop and check the notice. It may apply to a particular segment, season, vehicle type, or emergency condition. Do not ride around a gate, barrier, or closure sign to see whether the route becomes passable farther ahead.

For practical advice on this situation, see When a Sign on the Ground Says Closed. The safe choice is to obey a clear closure and find an authorized alternative, even if an older map appears to show the route as open.

Investigate a genuine discrepancy

A map may be out of date, a sign may refer to a different route, or the boundary between two management areas may be unclear. Pause somewhere safe and compare the route name or number, your location, the map legend, and the agency’s latest information. If you cannot resolve the discrepancy, turn back or contact the managing agency before riding farther.

Do not assume that a sign on one road answers the status of every nearby route. Likewise, do not assume that a route shown as open is open beyond a junction or across a boundary. When a Map and a Sign Disagree explains why it is better to confirm the specific segment than to rely on a general impression.

Stay on the designated route

A travel map is not permission to ride cross-country. A line showing an authorized road or trail applies to that route, not to open ground beside it. Stay on the route and avoid shortcuts, parallel tracks, and informal paths unless the managing agency identifies them as open to your machine.

This matters even when the ground looks durable or the route is easy to follow. Leaving the designated route can damage vegetation and soil, create new tracks, and violate land-use rules. A map helps you stay on the authorized line; it does not expand that line.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is every Wyoming ATV or UTV rider required to carry a travel management map?

Do not assume there is one statewide rule requiring every rider to carry the same map. Map and route rules depend on the land and managing agency. Carrying current route information is a practical way to avoid riding onto a closed or unauthorized route.

Does an open route on a map mean I can ride it?

Not necessarily. Confirm that the map is current, covers that location, and applies to your machine. Check seasonal or vehicle restrictions and any current closure notices before riding.

Can I use a phone map instead of a paper map?

An offline digital map can be useful if it includes the relevant route designations and remains available without cell service. A paper backup can help if a device fails, loses power, or is difficult to read.

What should I do if I cannot tell whether a route is open?

Stop before entering the uncertain segment. Check the map legend and current agency information, or contact the land manager. If you cannot confirm access, choose a route that is clearly open.

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Laws, prices and regulations vary by location and change over time. Consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.