Good Morning!
A friend and I are eagerly awaiting an archery elk hunt mid-september in colorado, and have a few questions about Roads, Camping and Access that I'm hoping you all can help me figure out.
In order to get to know the unit better this year before a "serious" hunt next year (we're considering this a scouting with weapon year) we'll be traveling around the unit alot, and sleeping in our vehicles overnight on the side of roads. From there we'll spike out and explore different back country areas.
It comes down to three questions essentially (i've searched, but not found the answers to these q's in particular):
1) National Forest Service - We'll probably be spending alot of time on national forest service land, and I've printed out a whole bunch of the grids from Colorado Parks and Wildlife Atlas for MVUM information. If a road / trail is not listed there, is it correct that we can't drive a vehicle on it? From my extensive google earth viewing I see alot of roads in the unit that look like they were from a logging operation, and I'd bet that they are big enough to get a big rig through full of logs, and may be passable with a SUV, but they are not on the NFS maps.
2) BLM Land - There are a number of dirt roads that go from a colorado highway, through private land, and then through BLM, and then more private etc. Some of these are on google maps, Some can be found on ONX maps (often not the same roads). How can I figure out which of these I can drive on? There is one in particular i've followed with google earth that looks to have a tiny bridge on private land, right next to someones stock yard. Looks like they might control access to the area, but there are other homes / ranches further up that road. What's the rule of thumb here? or is there not one?
3) Overnighting in the car on BLM - Any issues with this as long as I know we're on BLM, and parked off the road safely? Internet searches suggest its ok, but wanted to check in with the experienced people.
Thanks in advance for your helping an eastern newbie understand public land access!
-Scott
A friend and I are eagerly awaiting an archery elk hunt mid-september in colorado, and have a few questions about Roads, Camping and Access that I'm hoping you all can help me figure out.
In order to get to know the unit better this year before a "serious" hunt next year (we're considering this a scouting with weapon year) we'll be traveling around the unit alot, and sleeping in our vehicles overnight on the side of roads. From there we'll spike out and explore different back country areas.
It comes down to three questions essentially (i've searched, but not found the answers to these q's in particular):
1) National Forest Service - We'll probably be spending alot of time on national forest service land, and I've printed out a whole bunch of the grids from Colorado Parks and Wildlife Atlas for MVUM information. If a road / trail is not listed there, is it correct that we can't drive a vehicle on it? From my extensive google earth viewing I see alot of roads in the unit that look like they were from a logging operation, and I'd bet that they are big enough to get a big rig through full of logs, and may be passable with a SUV, but they are not on the NFS maps.
2) BLM Land - There are a number of dirt roads that go from a colorado highway, through private land, and then through BLM, and then more private etc. Some of these are on google maps, Some can be found on ONX maps (often not the same roads). How can I figure out which of these I can drive on? There is one in particular i've followed with google earth that looks to have a tiny bridge on private land, right next to someones stock yard. Looks like they might control access to the area, but there are other homes / ranches further up that road. What's the rule of thumb here? or is there not one?
3) Overnighting in the car on BLM - Any issues with this as long as I know we're on BLM, and parked off the road safely? Internet searches suggest its ok, but wanted to check in with the experienced people.
Thanks in advance for your helping an eastern newbie understand public land access!
-Scott