Leaked Memo Could Open 5 million acres across Montana and Idaho to Off Road Vehicles

A leaked memo could open 193,403 acres of Flathead National Forest to off-road vehicles.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s secretarial memorandum directs the Forest Service to remove wilderness eligibility and allow off-road vehicle (ORV) use on more than 190,000 acres in northwest Montana. This move challenges the 2018 Revised Land Management Plan, which followed years of collaboration to protect these lands as recommended wilderness.

The memo aims to open roughly 5 million acres across Montana and Idaho to ORVs, including areas in the Flathead National Forest, Northern Whitefish Range, and Swan Range. It may conflict with protections established under the Roadless Rule and recent land management plans. Local conservationists warn that once motorized use is allowed, restoring wilderness status becomes nearly impossible. This development follows the Trump administration’s recent repeal of two orders restricting ORV use and its effort to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Senator Steve Daines has advanced a bill to repeal the Roadless Rule, with a Senate vote expected after the recent Energy Natural Resources hearing.

The memo’s official release remains pending, while local snowmobile groups are assessing the situation before issuing statements.

For Montana businesses tied to recreation and land management, this shift could alter the dynamics of wilderness access and conservation. Changes in land use policy might have implications for Montana’s protected landscapes, especially given the cultural and ecological significance of areas like Badger-Two Medicine.

Memo Reveals Forest Service Could Open Recommended Wilderness to Off-road Vehicles
By Maggie Dresser, Flathead Beacon