Tens of millions of Americans visit public lands and waters every year to experience scenic wonders, our rich cultural heritage, and the naturalness and solitude of our last remaining Wilderness areas. Americans understand that there must be a balance between different types of users of lands and waters. Indeed, our system of public lands, the most diverse in the world, was developed with that balance in mind.

But we are losing that balance today as dirt bikes, snowmobiles, jet skis, and other off-road vehicles push further and further into the backcountry, causing pollution and other impacts on our public lands, and displacing other visitors. Citizens nationwide support common-sense limits on off-road vehicles to protect public lands and waters, wildlife, other recreational experiences, and public health and safety.
>> Background on off-road vehicles
>> Americans speak out for common-sense limits (PDF)

Off-Road Vehicles are Everywhere
By the most conservative estimates, there are at least 11 million dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, and jet skis in the United States, and they can go almost everywhere on our nation's public lands and waters.

• The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 262 million acres of public land across the West and in Alaska. Nearly 93 percent of this land in the continental U.S. is open in some form to off-road vehicles.
• In Utah, 94 percent of BLM land -- more than 22 million acres -- is open to dirt bikes, ATVs and jeeps. In Montana and Nevada, off-road vehicles can access 99 percent of all BLM land.
• America's National Forests are criss-crossed by more than 400,000 miles of roads and routes. At least 60,000 additional miles of "ghost roads" have been blazed, largely by off-road vehicles.
• In the entire National Forest system -- covering more than 190 million acres in 155 forests -- only 2 forests, the Hoosier in Indiana and the Monongahela in West Virginia, do not allow off-road vehicle use.
• According to the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, there are 130,000 miles of "signed and maintained snowmobile trails" in the United States.

A Threat to Public Lands, and Public Health and Safety
Dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, and other off-road vehicles are major sources of air, water, and noise pollution nationwide. And they rank among the most serious human-made threats to safety and health on public lands and waters.
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Common-Sense Policy is Needed
Americans have asked for a balanced policy when it comes to off-road vehicle management on public lands. The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have clear authority to control off-road vehicles, but either don't enforce stated policies, or still allow uncontrolled use over most lands. The Fish & Wildlife Service has no system-wide policy for Wildlife Refuges, so usage and enforcement are inconsistent. And the National Park Service is trying to protect parks from the damage caused by jet skis and snowmobiles, for instance, but is being undermined by the Bush Administration and the off-road vehicle industry.
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Our Campaign
Our efforts have focused on building awareness of off-road vehicle impacts on public lands and waters. In addition, we advocate for common sense management policies that will better protect the land, air and water quality, public health and safety, and the recreational experiences of tens of millions of Americans.
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Much of the material on this page and in this section has been excerpted or reprinted from the Natural Trails & Waters Coalition web site.