Is it legal to drive (and maybe park) on utility right of ways? I have been looking to maybe get in to some off roading when I have finished my repairs (so probably next summer) and I would also like to try some back woods camping, I was looking at satellite maps and I found an interesting looking area that might let me do both, it’s far from any road or marked trail and has a high tension wire utility right of way going all the way to it, the land itself is government owned, but I have no idea about the corridor the power lines use, according to the USGS topo map they are not colored the same as the surrounding government land, but I have no idea if that is because of the right of way/easement or if the government just sold a narrow strip of land to run the lines.

I figure the right of way would let me get my feet wet with off roading by only offering a very minor challenge, while I could also get somewhere truly remote. My plan is to drive up the right of way, park, and just go a short distance in to the woods to set up camp, just a day or two to see how I do, while having my truck a short distance away for a safety exit if need be. My concern is legality, I don’t want to trespass, and I really don’t want to find that my truck is missing when I hike back to it. According to the satellite image it looks like the right of way is seldom if ever accessed by the utility company and the only signs of traffic I see are what looks like ATV tracks, so I don’t really find it likely that I would be “busted” or that they would actually bother having an off road tow truck come out there to get me, but still, I’d rather not risk it. (And yes, according to the agency that owns that land, it is perfectly legal to drive, park, and camp on it (for short periods), however I do not know who owns that land the power lines are on.)

So my questions are, does anyone have any guess about the legalities of using utility access paths for off roading/temporary parking? Am I right in assuming this would be an easy task for an off roading newbie? Or are those access ways likely rougher than they seem in the satellite images make them look?

 

Decades ago I remember my father saying that the utility companies can ask that you leave but either they or a sheriff would have to do it in person. I would imagine that in practice, it is something they don't worry about. But it would likely be a good idea to check out your state trespass laws.

In Idaho, under pressure a couple Texas billionaires, the trespass laws were updated to be much more draconian. https://lmtribune.com/opinion/the-wi...da46c0083.html. Timber land that was once left open by companies is now feared to be sold by them in the future to only those who can afford it the big price tags. https://www.idahostatesman.com/outdo...226463665.html

Closer to where I live than where these Wilks brother are, the timber companies have been cracking down on people who use their roads on their land to buy road access permits. This came about because of local yahoos who use the roads to find places to go "mud-bogging". In the process these people tear up wetlands and meadows ruining them for years to come. They also will make new roads/trails around gates and even tear them down so more people do more damage.