Two Tracks?

[idi1796]

Good evening everyone. As I am going over my Wyoming onXmap, I see there are two tracks everywhere on both public and private land. My first question is are the two tracks open to vehicular traffic, 4x4 or foot traffic only on public land? Second, and I think I know the answer but will ask anyway, are two tracks cutting through private land private roads or do they carry a public easement/right of way with them?

I know one thing, the area we end up hunting may have limited public access, but from what I can see so far, if your willing to put some miles down on foot (which we love to do already) there seems to be some pretty good chucks if you meander around from public parcel to public parcel.

I would also add, is there somewhere to look find out which roads through private do carry an easement/public right of way?

Thanks!

 

[WapitiBob]

For my hunt areas or areas I'm looking at, I get a road overlay from BLM so we jive with road numbers/names, remove what I know to be pvt, then send it to the person with proper authority within the dept and have them tell me if and where easements exist and/or end. Currently doing the same with the county GIS depts also.

Assuming roads that have numbers or names, on a paper map, can get you in trouble.

I drive on BLM 2 tracks depending on previous wear/travel.

 

[JWP58]

You probably wont know, until you get there, especially in Wyoming. You could be driving down a dirt road and run into a gate chained up and locked.

I base what two tracks to drive down based on if it looks like its been used. If its super faint, I exercise caution and don't take it.

 

[Flatrock]

Yea it's tricky to know exactly where you can and can't go until you get there. Even then like others said, it can be tough to know for certain what's legal and what isn't.

I was in Colorado elk hunting this fall on BLM land and stopped in the local BLM office before the hunt. I said I am planning to hunt over by so and so mountain and am wondering which roads are legal. They said, "where's that?" I was kind of like, "what do you mean where's that, that mountain is in your district." Then I asked a woman about a specific road where a road which looked like a 2 track cut through a small piece of private before going back onto public. I said, "I assume you can't legally drive through that private, correct?" She basically said I don't see why not, you should be able to. So we get up there and it is padlocked at the private.

My point is, even BLM folks in their OWN district might not know what's legal and what isn't.

Also, I was in MT 2 years ago and was hunting in a BLM wilderness study area. I assumed being a wilderness area, you couldn't drive anywhere in it. Then I run into a BLM guy and he gives me a travel map for the wilderness area. I was very surprised to learn that you could drive some of the roads inside the wilderness area. Maybe that's the case for most BLM study areas.

You'll learn lots of stuff as you go...

 

[idi1796]

Thanks for the great advice so far everyone. I really appreciate it.

WapitiBob, thats a great idea! I am very familiar working with local city and county maps here in town working for Parks and Rec so i'm hoping they have they same in the areas I'm looking at. I can do as you suggested and try to get as clear as picture as possible before heading out there in October.

 

[WapitiBob]

Say hi to my sister in law.

 

[Poke 'Em]

When in doubt, stay out.