ORV use on state forest roads
Public Act 288 (PA 288), enacted in Sept. 2016, requires the DNR to inventory and map all state forest roads in the northern Lower Peninsula by the end of 2017, and the Upper Peninsula and southern Lower Peninsula by the end of 2018. To date, the implementation of the law has resulted in 89% of state forest roads being opened to ORV use (including roads that are open seasonally). The decisions on state forest roads that will be opened or closed to ORV use in the Upper Peninsula and southern Lower Peninsula are now in effect as of Jan. 1. The law also allows for the cross-country retrieval of deer, bear and elk using ORVs and horses. See FAQs and closure criteria.
Annual review process
The mapping and inventory process is an ongoing effort, with reviews being completed on the ground by DNR staff as well as an in-depth review of public comments each year:
- Comments on current maps are accepted until Aug. 31 each year
- Comments on proposed changes to maps are accepted during open comment periods
Initial inventory and mapping complete
Thousands of miles of state forest roads are now open to ORV use.
- Upper Peninsula: 5,582.06 miles (99.1%) of roads are open year-round; 50.28 miles (0.89%) of roads are closed year-round; and 0.48 miles (0.01%) of roads are closed seasonally.
- Northern Lower Peninsula: 6,308.6 miles (84%) of roads are open and 1,213.6 (16%) miles are closed.
- Southern Lower Peninsula: 8.95 miles (2.43%) of roads are open year-round; 285.92 miles (77.67%) of roads are closed year-round; and 73.25 miles (19.9%) of roads are closed seasonally.
Current Maps
You can use the following maps to see what is open and closed to ORV use. You can also use these maps to make comments, by Aug. 31, which will be reviewed for potential action and inclusion in next year’s maps.
- Interactive Map Current Road Status
- Printable Maps Current Road Status
Proposed Changes
These changes will be reviewed and considered for approval at the January and February 2019 Natural Resources Commission meetings. Any approved changes will be incorporated into the maps and will go into effect on April 1, 2019.
Proposed changes include adding roads that were previously unmapped, deleting mapped roads that no longer exist, and closing/opening roads to ORV use.
- Interactive Map - Northern LP Proposed Changes
- Printable Maps - Northern LP Proposed Changes
After comments are collected and reviewed each year, proposed changes will be presented at a Natural Resources Commission meeting in January, the DNR Director will make a final decision at the NRC meeting in February, and new maps will be published by April 1.
