TWRA previews new North Cumberland OHV permit, draws business and rider concerns

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency on Wednesday previewed a proposed off-highway-vehicle permit for North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area that would require a vehicle-level permit and set a multi-year, phased fee structure intended to fund road, trail and stream‑crossing repairs.

The agency’s presentation said staff estimates it would take roughly $6 million to complete needed trail and roadwork at an “optimal” level; earlier engineering and maintenance estimates cited per‑mile and culvert/bridge costs and show wide ranges depending on scope. “When this group came together in 2022, we knew that the OHV program had grown exponentially over the years since it started in early 2 thousands,” Brandon Ware, who led the presentation for TWRA, told the commission.

TWRA said the draft would change two rules: the license-and-permit rule to create a specific North Cumberland OHV permit section and the WMA rules to require the permit for OHV riding at North Cumberland. Under the draft, a hunting-and-fishing license or WMA…