Are privately maintained roads private roads?

[Wildgame]

There is a road that takes to BLM. There is a big sign that says "Privately maintained road, no off-roading, No trespassing, residents, guests, and authorized personnel only".

There is a big gate but I have never seen it closed.

On X shows most of the road passes in between private property (indicating to be public) but small a couple of turns go thru private. The properties are mostly raw land but there are a couple of small ranches.

Is the sign implying that the road is private when indeed might be public? It is not the first time I find a gate (open) on a road that appears to be public on the map. The final road to BLM is clearly shown as public.

What do you do?

 

[Bowman]

It depends, if it states no trespassing and it is a private road, for example if the road is on private property and the other owners have easement right , yes it is private property. and is not county maintained road.
if it's public, and it's county maintain then free to pass as long as you don't do the above.

 

[HATCHET1]

I love roads...generally when a sign says no trespassing..it means no trespassing...so...no trespassing.

 

[ilovesprig]

I know a place here in north county that states that exact verbiage....I drive thru it as does everyone else that drives it...My guess is that it's an easement road and the owners originally gated it....Then there was blow back from owners down road from there....It's never been closed since I looked at a property there for sale.

 

[SteveHazard]

Use good judgement is all I can say.

I've seen property owners post signs that they are not supposed to, bend existing signs to give the appearance it covers additional directions. I've also seen public entities be lazy and just not remove signs after a land purchase or a closed to residents only for street construction left up years after the work was finished. I've also seen signs get removed or people try to take advantage when a fire burns down a fence, signs, etc.

 

[Wildgame]

Use good judgement is all I can say.

I've seen property owners post signs that they are not supposed to, bend existing signs to give the appearance it covers additional directions. I've also seen public entities be lazy and just not remove signs after a land purchase or a closed to residents only for street construction left up years after the work was finished. I've also seen signs get removed or people try to take advantage when a fire burns down a fence, signs, etc.

I wanted to hunt an area in D16 that has all kinds of nasty signs and I never stepped a foot in it because of that. It just so happens that someone I talked to said hunting is allowed in that area.

I agree with you, some folks love to keep others away from areas that are no longer or never were private to begin with...like when I first went to Laguna Beach, the residents that have beachfront side try to tell you the beach is private and is not! not even the access to the beach in many cases...or the guy who blocks the side road in front of his house with orange cones on Sundays during the summer to block people from taking street parking in front of their place...that one really makes me angry.

I am going to call the local Sheriff and ask to see what he says...nothing to lose.

 

[HATCHET1]

Cockblockers...

 

[TrapLine]

I have seen some that go through to public land but they cross private property and you cannot stop while you are crossing through. There is also another gate at the public property line that if it is closed you will never be able to get your vehicle on public land to park so all you can do is turn around without stopping. But if the public gate is open you can keep on going and enjoy the public land.

I have also seen some that crosses over to public but the road is very much private and the land owners just give the forest service/dfg permission to pass through and they in turn get permission to let the public pass through a few times a year.

Get in contact with the biologist for the area and they will let you know if you can access, if you cant access it at that road they may even let you in on a legal way you can access it. You might even get some intel on wildlife in the area while you have them on the phone.

Going off that sign you mentioned it says "privately maintained" which I interpret Joe Bob hooks the grader up to his tractor every once in awhile and grades the road. It does not say "Private Road". It also says guests are allowed and I consider myself natures guest anytime I am visiting the BLM wilderness, as such no trace is left behind. I don't plan on leaving the road while I am passing through so wont be offroading and the sign already says guests are allowed so i would not be trespassing.

If all else fails pick up a pizza on a non hunting day and go deliver it, map apps give authorized personnel some crazy directions sometimes, at least mine does.

I think the biologist would be your best bet, but you do have options.