16 USC § 525 - Rights-of-way for wagon roads or railroads

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t16/s525"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "16 USC § 525 - Rights-of-way for wagon roads or railroads"
title_number: 16
title_name: "CONSERVATION"
section_number: "525"
section_name: "Rights-of-way for wagon roads or railroads"
chapter_number: 2
chapter_name: "NATIONAL FORESTS"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Mar. 3, 1899, ch. 427, § 1, 30 Stat. 1233.)"
---


# § 525. Rights-of-way for wagon roads or railroads

In the form provided by existing law the Secretary of the Interior may file and approve surveys and plats of any right of way for a wagon road, railroad, or other highway over and across any national forest when in his judgment the public interests will not be injuriously affected thereby.

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**Source Credit**: (Mar. 3, 1899, ch. 427, § 1, 30 Stat. 1233.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

As originally enacted, this section contained following the word “forest” the words “or reservoir site”. See sections 665 and 958 of Title 43, Public Lands, which represent the phase of the section here omitted.

“National forest” substituted in text for “forest reserve” on authority of , , which provided that forest reserves shall hereafter be known as national forests.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Repeal; Savings Provision

Section repealed by , , , effective on and after , insofar as applicable to the issuance of rights-of-way over, upon, under, and through the public lands and lands in the National Forest System. Such repeal not to be construed as terminating any valid lease, permit, patent, etc., existing on , see , set out as a note under , Public Lands.