10/06/2026
Today is the final day (October 6) to make your voice heard and submit comments on the Roadless Rule. The USDA is proposing to roll back the 2001 Roadless Rule, which would open protected Washington backcountry areas to commercial development and logging roads.
The Roadless Rule is a landmark federal regulation that protects over 45 million acres of national forests and grasslands across the country—including nearly 2 million acres in Washington. It places strict limits on road construction, logging, and mining within designated "Inventoried Roadless Areas" (IRAs), ensuring these wild landscapes remain undeveloped.
✅ What it is: A conservation rule that keeps remote backcountry intact, safeguarding wildlife, clean water, and singletrack trails.
❌ What it is NOT: It is NOT a closure of public lands: These areas remain fully accessible for hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, mountain biking and other recreation. It is NOT a wilderness designation: Mountain bikes are banned from designated Wilderness Areas. The Roadless Rule, however, allows non-motorized recreation, including mountain biking. Contrary to what the name implies, it is not even a ban on roads or existing motorized use within these areas, it just limits future development. It is NOT a ban on forest management: The rule does not compromise wildfire safety. It includes clear exemptions that allow for strategic fuels reduction, prescribed burns, and active forest management to restore ecological health.
🙌Why we care:
Without the Roadless Rule, iconic Washington backcountry trails like Kettle Crest, Cutthroat Pass, Angel's Staircase, and Devil's Gulch would lose their protections. The Roadless Rule shields these trails from new logging roads and future development.
Let's keep our backcountry wild and rideable. Submit your comments now through our partners at Outdoor Alliance by the end of the day on October 6th 👉 https://www.outdooralliance.org/roadless
For more information, visit our blog: https://www.evergreenmtb.org/blog/roadless-rule-october-2026
