TRAIL MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
(TMOs)

Trail Management Objectives (TMOs) are documentation of the intended purpose and management of an NFS trail based on management direction, including access objectives

TMO Sheet for the Bitterroot National Forest
This Excel spreadsheet shows only the trails in the Bitterroot National Forest.

How Do You Read the TMO Sheet?
What are the Clearing Heights and Widths of Trails?
It's important to recognize that trail clearing standards differ depending on the user type, so Trail Classification 2 for hikers is different than Trail Classification 2 for stock use. This sheet also shows the clearning height and width for each Trail Class based on the user type.

More Information Available: Answers, How To Work with USFS, Why We're Doing This, and TMOs for All of Montana
The BCH of Montana website has much more information available, including TMOs statewide, Trail Classification descriptions, how to work with the Forest Service to make changes, and lots more. Click here to access their TMO page. 

A Brief Explanation about TMOs

Manage each trail to meet the TMOs identified for that trail, based on applicable land management plan direction, travel management decisions, trail-specific decisions, and other related direction, and based on management priorities and available resources. For each NFS trail or NFS trail segment, identify and document its TMOs, including the five Trail Fundamentals, Recreation Opportunity Spectrum classifications, design criteria, travel management strategies, and maintenance criteria. (FSM 2353.12)

Why TMOs?
TMOs are fundamental building blocks for trail management. They synthesize and document, in one convenient place, the management intention for the trail and provide basic reference information for subsequent trail planning, management, condition surveys, and reporting. The documentation of TMOs for each NFS trail makes good management sense and are a prerequisite for completing an effective trail condition assessment survey and subsequent prescription for work needed to meet standard.

A trail cannot be effectively managed or a determination made of what’s needed to meet standard until basic questions like these have been answered: What is the purpose of the trail?

What type of use is the trail being managed for? What is the intended level of development of the trail? In the past, some trails have been managed based largely on the type or amount of use they were currently getting, without sufficient consideration of the intended use or future trends and needs. This sometimes resulted in managing a trail for a type or level of use that was not compatible with the trail management direction, design, or location. Establishing and communicating the intended TMOs for each system trail is a proactive step that prevents this from occurring.