Revised statute 2477
US federal law
Revised Statute 2477, commonly known as RS 2477 was enacted by the United States Congress in 1866 to encourage the settlement of the Western United States by the development of a system of highways. Its entire text is one sentence: "the right-of-way for the construction of highways across public lands not otherwise reserved for public purposes is hereby granted."
The original grant did not require being recorded, meaning it was self-enacting, and in 1866 constructing a road often meant using a trail many times and perhaps filling low places, moving rocks and placing signs.
It granted to counties and states a right-of-way across federal land when a highway was built.
RS 2477 was repealed in 1976 under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA). The repeal was subject to "valid existing rights." The relevant text (Sec. 701. 43 U.S.C. 1701) reads (a) "Nothing in this Act, or in any amendment made by this Act, shall be construed as terminating any valid lease, permit, patent, right-of-way, or other land use right or authorization existing on the date of approval of this Act".
Controversy
Shared-access advocates claim that neither the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service nor other federal agencies, nor even private landowners have the authority to close RS 2477 roads. Their interpretation of the statute has brought them into conflict with wilderness advocates, the federal government and private landowners.
Conflicts on Federal Lands
RS 2477 has become an issue for wilderness advocacy groups because of language in the Wilderness Act of 1964.
The public source identifies “Revised statute 2477” as uS federal law. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Revised, statute and federal.
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Chronology, provenance and viewpoint should be read together before a broad social or political interpretation is accepted. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 15, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q7318439. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1866, 1976, 1701 and 1964.
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