A Measurement Decides a Trail’s FateFifty inches. That’s the width of a bath towel laid out flat, or two dining chairs pushed together. It’s also the number a lawyer, not an engineer, chose twenty-five years ago to decide which off-road routes across 44 million acres of national forest are legally protected from repair and which ones aren’t. Twenty-five years.
Summer’s here, the hills are dry, and the Angeles National Forest just elevated fire danger to HIGH. Effective June 12, 2026, a new forest order is in place covering the entire Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, running through December 31, 2026.
If you’re heading out to the forest this summer – hiking, camping, off-roading, whatever brings you up there – this affects you directly.
If you’re planning a run through the San Gabriel Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle Area, there are some rules you need to know about before you load up the rig. The Angeles National Forest has a standing order in place – effective March 23, 2026 through December 31, 2028 – and if you show up unprepared, you’re going to have a bad day.
As the popularity of overlanding continues to grow, Subaru’s presence celebrates owners’ love of outdoor adventure and the camaraderie it builds.Subaru of America, Inc. is returning as the title sponsor of the 2026 Overland Expo, bringing an expanded Camp Subaru experience to Costa Mesa, California, where Subaru is set to showcase its adventure-ready SUVs, hands-on off-road workshops, record live podcasts, feature music, and offer owner-focused programming.
United States District Court Orders OHV Route Closures in the West Mojave DesertA federal judge has handed down a decision that will reshape how we use some of the Mojave’s most familiar dirt.
A January 2026 ruling against the Bureau of Land Management requires the closure of up to 2,200 miles of off-highway vehicle routes inside designated Desert Tortoise Critical Habitat unless and until the BLM completes a new route designation plan. The closures could begin as soon as March 2026. There are many hard conversations ahead.
