Michigan’s state forest roads are the gateway to the rugged side of the outdoors. Pack your helmet, start up your off-road vehicle and download a map, then turn your steering wheel from pavement to gravel to find your next favorite place to hunt, hike or explore.
Every year, the DNR updates state forest road maps on April 1 to keep them current. Maps are available in an interactive web format and as printable PDFs at Michigan.gov/ForestRoads.
After the annual road inventory and review, 11,765 miles of forest roads in the following areas will be open to ORVs:
Upper Peninsula: more than 5,686 miles – about 98% of the total mileage.
Northern Lower Peninsula: about 6,068 miles – about 84% of the total mileage.
Southern Lower Peninsula: just over 10 miles – about 3% of the total mileage.
Forest road maps are updated to reflect changing road conditions and to incorporate data cleanup and input received from residents. Maps show which state forest roads are open or closed to off-road and conventional vehicle use. It’s important to stay on these roads to prevent erosion and damage to wildlife habitat.
With this year’s update, a section of 189.7 miles of roads on property leased by the Camp Grayling National Guard facility has moved from closed year-round status to seasonally closed. This change opens recreational access except during seasonal military training operations. The roads are located northeast of Grayling, south of County Road 612. When the area is used for training activities, roads will be gated off for public safety. Notice will be posted on the Camp Grayling Facebook page and shared on local radio stations. A similar proposal was approved in 2022, opening seasonal access to 94.8 miles of forest roads north of County Road 612.
