BY TIM PETERSON
Are Dixie National Forest managers really "shutting down public access" as a Garfield County official claims? Certainly not. Some context might help.
In 2005, the Forest Service enacted the Travel Management Rule, requiring national forests to limit motorized vehicles to designated roads and trails. Before that, the majority of America's National Forest System was a free-for-all — wide open to vehicle travel. That meant you could strike out in any direction and drive off-road to your heart's content. The only limitations were geology (cliff faces, rocks and boulders), hydrology (lakes and rivers), ecology (thick stands of trees) and your own personal outdoor ethic.