Saw this article in todays paper.
Looks like the state is backing off, the restrictions up north.


atv rules

Off-road vehicles to roam more state forest trails
Tom Meersman, Star Tribune
July 26, 2005 ATV0726

A new law that goes into effect next week will split Minnesota into two regions regarding off-road vehicles, with different rules and regulations for off-road driving in state forests.

Under a previous law enacted in 2003, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources was required to designate trail systems in each of the state's forests in the next few years. As that system was identified, all-terrain vehicles and other drivers statewide would be allowed to ride only where motorized trail signs were posted.

But the law taking effect Aug. 1 changes those rules for state forests north of U.S. Hwy. 2, which contain about 74 percent of the total land in the state forest system. In that northern tier of the state, off-road drivers now will not be confined to a state motorized trail system. They will able to continue to take their vehicles on any state forest trails, as they do now, except for areas that are posted closed for safety or environmental reasons.

Off-road vehicles are not allowed in state parks, wildlife management areas, or scientific and natural areas anywhere in the state, with a handful of exceptions. The new law pertains only to state forests, not to county lands, where regulations differ widely, or to national forest land, where officials are developing generally stricter rules.

DNR Deputy Commissioner Mark Holsten said that even though riders north of Hwy. 2 will be able to drive legally on unmarked trails in northern state forests, the agency will still put up signs for "official" trails in that region for those who prefer to follow a mapped system.
Holsten said the agency has completed an inventory of trails in all state forests and will continue to roll out its recommendations for the official system, forest by forest, at public meetings during the next couple of years.

Those who proposed the less restrictive rules for northern forest trails included several northern Minnesota legislators and rider groups. They argued that it may be appropriate to require drivers to stay only on marked trails in central and southern Minnesota forests that receive more traffic. But they said those rules are not necessary for northern forests, which are much larger and have fewer drivers.
However, critics have said the new policy in the north will allow uncontrolled use of ATVs and other off-road vehicles on public lands, and that it will be virtually impossible to stop illegal cross-country travel and wetlands damage.

Holsten acknowledged that DNR enforcement may be somewhat more difficult under the new rules, but he said the agency is working on ways to educate riders as it develops the trail system. "This is not a total walkaway on DNR's part," he said. "There are going to continue to be changes coming north of Highway 2 on the use and management of ATVs."

 

I can see this being a way for the DNR to find out where people will ride the most, review the impacts in those areas, then decide whether or not these non-designated trails will be a viable trail system.

Note how it said travel will be permitted on unmarked trails. This is only a reference to trails that have seen use in the past i.e. logging roads. It must be a trail vs. one that someone decided they want to go from point "A" to point "b" via "this way".

There is going to be more controversy to come on this one as well as more accidents involving 2 adults on a single passenger machine. The new laws are too vague in their wording and are open to ones interpretation.