Divide Trail 505 Reopens to Motorized Use on Nez Perce-Clearwater

If you chase long Idaho loops on a plated dual-sport or a single-track trail bike, connectivity is the whole game. On September 5, 2026, the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) reopened Divide Trail 505 between Trails 504 and 672 - a 5.6-mile segment on the Red River Ranger District, east of Elk City and north of Red River Hot Springs, recommended for single-track motorized users.

That stretch matters because it restores a missing link for long-distance looping between the Magruder Corridor and the Boundary National Recreational Trail. With short road connections, riders can string nearly all-trail travel from the Magruder Corridor to the Selway River - the kind of day that used to die at a closed connector.

What USFS and IDPR actually reopened

Per the Forest Service release, Forest Supervisor Jon Word rescinded long-term Forest Order D5-11-981, clearing motorized use on this Divide Trail 505 segment. Idaho Business Review (September 8, 2026) reports the same rescission. Going forward, IDPR’s Motorized Trail Program will provide improvements and maintenance under the partnership.

Word framed the reopen as access through partnership: “We are excited to be providing this new recreational opportunity in partnership with Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation on the Red River Ranger District, creating improved access,” adding, “This is a great example of expanding opportunities through mechanisms such as the EXPLORE Act Good Neighbor Authority agreement.”

IDPR Director Susan Buxton tied it to stakeholder demand and shared use: “This partnership between IDPR and the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests results in the restoration of a highly valuable looping opportunity for shared multiple use, long requested by recreation stakeholders of IDPR’s trail program,” and, “As with our other shared projects being pursued under Good Neighbor Authority agreements pursuant to the EXPLORE Act, we look forward to further collaboration with Supervisor Word toward improving recreational access to the remarkable landscape that is the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests.”

How to verify before you ride

This is a concrete reopen of one named segment - not a statewide MVUM rewrite and not legal advice. Before you trailer east of Elk City, confirm the current designation on the official USFS Divide Trail 505 release, the unit Motor Vehicle Use Map for your vehicle class, and IDPR’s Idaho Trails interactive map (summer trails app linked from IDPR motorized trails). Local ranger notes can still change conditions on adjacent routes. For reading those maps without guessing, see our how to read an MVUM guide, and keep this story next to the broader USFS travel-management comment window and the AMA - BDR access partnership.

Rider takeaway

Divide Trail 505’s 5.6-mile reopen between 504 and 672 is a real Magruder ↔ Boundary / Selway looping win for dual-sport and single-track motorized riders on the Red River Ranger District - backed by USFS + IDPR under Good Neighbor Authority, with IDPR maintenance ahead. Pull the live MVUM and Idaho Trails map the week you ride; treat this as one verified segment, not a blank check for every nearby connector.

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