Ethics
Trail etiquette, Tread Lightly! & land use
The Tread Lightly! T.R.E.A.D. principles, staying on designated routes, yielding, gates and how land managers decide which trails stay open.
Quick answer
Follow the Tread Lightly! T.R.E.A.D. principles: Travel responsibly, Respect the rights of others, Educate yourself, Avoid sensitive areas, Do your part. Stay on routes designated for your vehicle type, leave gates as you found them, and go over obstacles, not around them.
T.R.E.A.D.
- Travel responsibly: stay on designated roads, trails and areas; go over, not around, obstacles; cross streams only at designated fords.
- Respect the rights of others: private property, other trail users and campers; leave gates as you found them; yield to those passing you or going uphill.
- Educate yourself: get maps and regulations from the land manager, plan, and know how to operate your equipment.
- Avoid sensitive areas: meadows, lake shores, wetlands and streams; do not disturb historical, archaeological or paleontological sites.
- Do your part: leave the area better than you found it, dispose of waste properly, minimize fire, avoid spreading invasive species.
Designated routes
On national forests, the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) is the legal map of where you can drive and what vehicle class. BLM field offices publish travel management maps. Routes are posted by maximum machine width. A 50-inch route is an ATV (quad) route: most quads are 50 inches wide or less. Wider routes (60, 62, 66 or 72 inches, or open to all) also admit larger machines such as side-by-sides, and some narrow routes are closed to anything wider than 50 inches. Check the posted width before you enter.
On the trail
- Yield to uphill traffic, hikers and horses (stop, shut off the engine near horses and ask the rider).
- Slow down for dust near camps.
- Keep noise down (quiet exhaust, no revving in camp).
- Signal how many riders are behind you with your fingers when passing.
Product picks
Sources
Researched Oct 25, 2026. Rules, specs and prices change; confirm with the source.