Question for Colorado Hunters

[dapper]

I've been studying topographic maps for a new area to hunt this fall. I see a symbol that resembles a "barbell" across some primitive roads/trails. I realize this means no vehicular traffic, does that almost mean no ATVs? We don't have ATV's, but if we choose an area that has these roads/trails, it may be a factor in choosing that area.

Thanks

Dan

[timberland]

If you look at the dpw ATLAS it will show trails open to wheelers only as a dashed line. There is another thread on this page with instructions if you can't find the atlas

[easeup]

maybe a little better reference is to get a travel map for the national forest that your area is. The forest service regulates the travel restrictions on each trail and road; some include dates for certain restrictions and so forth. I have seen other maps that state a certain trail or road is open and so forth, but there is a chance they have published old information from the forest service.

[mtnmutt]

It is wise to always get the latest map and information from Forest Service District office as stated above.

"barbell" is generically labeled a gate on a Trails Illustrated Map, however, that is misleading. The area in one of my CO hunting areas has many of these barbells in the National Forest which is near a Wilderness Area. Those gates are actually metal guard rail style barriers to prevent non-snowmobile traffic. They are open to snowmobiles if there is snow. The map has snowmobile icons on those trails to indicate it is open to snowmobiles.

They can be great "trails" to get you back into the forest in September.

The barriers are usually erected in a manner to prevent ATVs from getting around the barriers. They may not prevent a dirt bike. I have never seen any sign of dirt bike usage because the trail is usually very overgrown and has fallen trees across it.

These trails that are open only to motorized snowmobiles are double brown dashed lines on a Trail Illustrated map and have the barbell near a Forest Service open road.

[dapper]

Thanks for your help! Once we narrow our search down we'll try to get a forest service map. You are correct that the map we are looking at is a Trails Illustrated map, National Geographic and near a wilderness area.


Dan

[Indian Summer]

Once you know the forest district you're going to be in call any ranger station in that district and ask for a travel map. Roads will have letter or number designations and there will be areas circled with numbers designations. Those letters and numbers all refer to a legend which has the dates for seasonal travel restrictions. It will also tell what type of travel is acceptable, 2 wheel, 4 wheeler, regular car/truck, snowmobile, or non-motorized only.

The newer maps in some areas just started coming with topo lines on them too and since they cover such a wide area they are a great tool to have. You can look over miles and miles of country and get the more detailed topos for the ones you hunt. I buy the waterproof ones where available.

[cohunter14]

Use the Hunting Atlas on the Colorado DOW website here: http://ndis-flex.nrel.colostate.edu/HuntingAtlas/. If you use the buttons on the upper right of the screen (after zooming in to your hunting area), you can get the topo map and also the Forest Service road access, by clicking on the FS-MVUM button and clicking the 'Motor Vehicle Use Map' button that shows access to National Forest Roads. Somtimes the topo maps will show 'pack trails' as opposed to roads, which can give you an idea. The Forest Service road mapping is pretty good at showing which roads are open to motor vehicle access and which aren't. As has been said, if you have any questions, contact the Forest Service in the area.

[zpd307]

yep, i talked with the forest ranger for our area in Idaho. she gladly sent me 4 huge forest road use maps, as i had several possible spots in mind at the time. she even highlighted in yellow marker the road we should take to get to the trailhead. some of the roads were private.