Which Travel Map You Must Carry in Wyoming
A Wyoming trail map can show a route without proving it is open to your machine today. The useful map depends on where you plan to ride and who manages the land. Here’s how to choose the right travel map, use it alongside current signs and closures, and understand what a map cannot replace.
Start with the map for the land you’ll ride
There is no single map that settles access across every Wyoming riding area. Roads and trails are managed by different agencies, and a route shown on one map is not automatically open to motorized travel. Start by identifying the land manager for your destination, then use that manager’s travel map to check which routes are open to your type of vehicle.
For riding in the Bighorn National Forest, the Forest Service says visitors should obtain a Bighorn Motorized Vehicle Use Map to identify open roads and trails. That is the key map to consult for a Bighorns trip—not simply a general road atlas, a recreational map, or an app’s suggested route. You can read more about Wyoming Trail Maps and MVUMs and Wyoming Rules for Riding a National Forest before planning a route.
Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails also lists downloadable GeoPDF maps for areas including the Bighorns, Blackhills, Lander, and Pinedale. These can help you plan around a broader area, but check that the map covers your intended riding ground and answers the access question you need. A regional map may help you find a destination; the relevant land manager’s travel map is what you should use to verify route designations.
| Map or information source | What it helps you check | What it does not establish by itself |
|---|---|---|
| Bighorn Motorized Vehicle Use Map | Open roads and trails in the Bighorn National Forest | Whether a route is open after a later closure or restriction |
| Wyoming State Parks GeoPDF map | Routes and riding areas in the map’s coverage area | That every route shown is open to your vehicle |
| General road atlas or navigation app | Getting to a town, trailhead, or staging area | Whether a road or trail is designated for your machine |
| Signs and current notices from the land manager | Closures or restrictions posted for the area | Access outside the sign’s location or the relevant management area |
Before heading out, make sure the map is for the right area and is the edition the managing agency currently recommends. If you’re unsure which agency manages a route, ask the local office responsible for the land rather than relying on a map app’s label.
Read the map as an access tool, not a blanket permission
A travel map helps you distinguish routes that are designated for motorized use from routes that are not. It does not give permission to ride everywhere the map depicts. Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails says ORVs may only be operated on roads, trails, or areas designated as open by the appropriate local land manager, such as the Forest Service or BLM. For more on interpreting route status, see When a Map Marks a Route Open.
That distinction matters because a line on a map can represent different things: a road, an enrolled ORV route, a trail with vehicle restrictions, or a route that is not open to your machine. Read the map legend and any notes about vehicle type, season, width, or other restrictions. If the map does not make the designation clear, verify it with the agency responsible for that land.
The Forest Service says motorized travel is permitted on designated roads and trails across the Bighorn National Forest. It also says off-highway vehicles are limited to a maximum width of 50 inches at their widest point. A machine that exceeds that width should not be assumed to fit a trail designation simply because the route appears on a map. Check the map’s restrictions and the Forest Service’s current guidance for the specific route.
Conditions and rules can also change after a map is published. If a sign at the trailhead says the route is closed, do not treat an older map as permission to continue. Check current information from the land manager and follow the posted closure. When a Sign on the Ground Says Closed and When a Map and a Sign Disagree explain how to handle those situations.
The same caution applies when using a phone app. A route shown as navigable may not be an open motorized route, and a GPS track from another rider does not establish legal access. Use digital navigation to help locate yourself, but compare the route against the official travel map and current land-manager information.
Know when a Wyoming ORV permit is part of the trip
A travel map and an ORV permit answer different questions. The map helps you determine where you may ride; the permit is a separate requirement for certain Wyoming ORV routes and areas. Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails requires a Wyoming ORV permit for enrolled roads, routes, and trails of 50 inches or less designated for ORV use.
Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails also says there is no reciprocity for out-of-state ORV or OHV registrations. A visitor’s home-state registration or sticker does not replace the Wyoming permit when one is required. Review Wyoming ORV Permits Explained and Wyoming ORV Reciprocity Rules before you travel if you are bringing a machine from another state.
The permit requirement depends on where you ride and how the route is designated. Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails says street-legal ORVs need a Wyoming ORV permit when operating on a trail that is 50 inches or less in width. It also says designated trails enrolled in the ORV program require a state sticker even if the vehicle is street legal. So “street legal” does not automatically mean “no permit needed” on an enrolled trail.
For enrolled roads, Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails says vehicles must either be street legal or display a state ORV sticker while meeting the ORV definition requirements. A machine displaying only a Wyoming ORV permit may be operated only on roadways identified as part of the Wyoming ORV Program. Check the route’s designation instead of assuming that the permit makes every public road available.
The Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails program describes the state ORV permit as valid for a calendar year and applicable equally to residents and non-residents. All ORVs must display the permit while operating on public lands and other designated roads, trails, or areas. Check current permit details through the program before setting out, especially if you are uncertain whether your intended route is enrolled.
Maps are useful for spotting boundaries and planning a legal route, but they do not replace required equipment, a permit, or operator qualifications. Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails says riders using designated roadways with only an ORV sticker must have a valid driver’s license or permit. It also says operators without a driver’s license or permit, typically those 15 years old and under, may operate only on enrolled trails, designated riding areas, and private property with permission. Check the rules that apply to your rider and machine before using a road route.
A practical map routine before and during the ride
A reliable routine is to plan from the correct map, verify current access, and carry a way to navigate if your phone loses signal or power. For a Bighorn National Forest trip, begin with the Bighorn Motorized Vehicle Use Map, then check Forest Service notices for closures or restrictions. For other destinations, use the travel map issued or recommended by the agency managing that area.
Before leaving, confirm that the map covers the actual riding area, not just the highway approach. Identify your intended route and check its motorized-use designation, any vehicle-width limit, and any seasonal or local restriction shown. If the route crosses between different management areas, check the map or official information for each area rather than assuming one map covers the whole trip.
It can be useful to have the map available offline on a phone or GPS device, with a paper copy as a backup. If you use a digital map, download it before you lose service and make sure you know how to locate yourself on it. A phone mount or protective pouch sold through retailers such as Amazon may make a device easier to use, but accessories do not make an unofficial route designation authoritative.
At the trailhead, compare your plan with posted signs and current notices. If a sign conflicts with an older map, stop and confirm access with the land manager before riding farther. Keep your route within the area and vehicle type shown as open, and do not use a road or trail as a shortcut unless it is designated for your machine.
Keep the map accessible while riding, not buried where you cannot check it safely. If you are unsure about a junction, stop in a safe place and compare your location with the map before continuing. A small detour to confirm the route is better than treating an unclear junction as permission to explore.
The Forest Service says vehicles in its campgrounds and recreation sites may only be used for entering or leaving. Plan your staging and campground travel accordingly; a motorized travel map is not a signal that every road or open-looking area within a recreation site is a riding route. For other land types, consult Wyoming Rules for Riding BLM Land and the agency that manages the route.
The simplest answer is this: carry the official travel map for the area you plan to ride, and use it to confirm designated open routes—not as a substitute for current closure information or the Wyoming ORV permit rules. In the Bighorn National Forest, the Forest Service specifically directs visitors to obtain a Bighorn Motorized Vehicle Use Map. For other areas, confirm the appropriate map with the local land manager.
Sources
- Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails — Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails – ORV Rules & Regulations – Trails (checked November 3, 2026)
- Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails — Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, & Trails – ORV Requirements – Trails (checked November 3, 2026)
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.
