Minnesota § 84.777 OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND SNOWMOBILES; USE OF STATE LANDS RESTRICTED

Minnesota Statutes

§ 84.777 — OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND SNOWMOBILES; USE OF STATE LANDS RESTRICTED

Minnesota § 84.777

PartNATURAL RESOURCES

Ch. 84DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

This text of Minnesota § 84.777 (OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND SNOWMOBILES; USE OF STATE LANDS RESTRICTED) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Minn. Stat. § 84.777 (2026).

Text

Subdivision 1.Designated trails.

(a)Except as otherwise allowed by law or rules adopted by the commissioner, effective June 1, 2003, notwithstanding sections84.787to84.804and84.92to84.928, the use of off-highway vehicles is prohibited on state land administered by the commissioner of natural resources, and on county-administered forest land within the boundaries of a state forest, except on roads and trails specifically designated and posted by the commissioner for use by off-highway vehicles.

(b)Paragraph (a) does not apply to county-administered land within a state forest if the county board adopts a resolution that modifies restrictions on the use of off-highway vehicles on county-administered land within the forest. Subd. 2.Seasonal restrictions.

(a)Except for designated forest ro

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Subdivision 1.Designated trails.
(a) Except as otherwise allowed by law or rules adopted by the commissioner, effective June 1, 2003, notwithstanding sections84.787to84.804and84.92to84.928, the use of off-highway vehicles is prohibited on state land administered by the commissioner of natural resources, and on county-administered forest land within the boundaries of a state forest, except on roads and trails specifically designated and posted by the commissioner for use by off-highway vehicles.
(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to county-administered land within a state forest if the county board adopts a resolution that modifies restrictions on the use of off-highway vehicles on county-administered land within the forest.

Subd. 2.Seasonal restrictions.
(a) Except for designated forest roads, a person must not operate an off-highway vehicle or snowmobile on state forest lands during the firearms deer-hunting season in areas of the state where deer may be taken by rifle. This paragraph does not apply to a person in possession of a valid deer-hunting license operating an off-highway vehicle or snowmobile before or after legal shooting hours or from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
(b) The commissioner may designate and post winter trails on state forest lands for use by off-highway vehicles.
(c) For the purposes of this subdivision, "state forest lands" means forest lands under the authority of the commissioner as defined in section89.001, subdivision 13, and lands managed by the commissioner under section282.011.

Subd. 3.Mapped trails.
(a) Except as provided in sections84.926and84.928, after completion of official department off-highway vehicle maps for the area, a person must not operate an off-highway vehicle on state land that is not mapped for the type of off-highway vehicle. This paragraph does not apply to state forest land north of U.S. Highway 2 until after June 30, 2009.
(b) This subdivision does not apply to a forest access route in a managed forest north of U.S. Highway 2 that the commissioner has not designated as a road or trail. Forest access routes will not be signed or maintained and will not be included on published user maps of the forest. Off-highway vehicle operation on forest access routes is subject to the prohibitions on causing erosion, rutting, damage to trees or crops, and construction of unauthorized trails contained in Minnesota Rules. Damaged routes are subject to closure to off-highway vehicle use.

Subd. 4.Rulemaking exemption.
Determinations of the commissioner under this section may be by written order published in the State Register and are exempt from the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14. Section14.386does not apply.