Motorized travel in the Steese Subunit typically occurs during the fall and winter months, from August to early May and is mainly attributed to sport hunting and some traditional subsistence activities of hunting and trapping, During the month of February, sled-dog racers in the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race traverse portions of the South Unit. Opening this trail allows other motorized users access to remote areas.

Easier travel and the ability to cross Birch Creek and other waterbodies by motorized vehicles in the winter (within specified vehicle limitations), opens up most of the Steese Subunit to wintertime travel. During this time, snowmobiles become the primary mode of travel. A majority of the winter travel centers around Central, Alaska and the Yukon Quest trail.

During the non-winter months (May through October), features of topography, soils, vegetation, and permafrost make travel in the Steese Subunit particularly difficult, however, there are a number of travel routes used during hunting season for access to wildlife resources. With the advent of the summer season, motorized watercraft are also employed within the Steese Subunit. Users can put on at the Steese Highway bridge (Mile 147) and motor up-river for approximately 30 miles, to Mile 80 of Birch Creek, where BLM navigable determination ends, or down-river for access to the Yukon Flats NWR.

Access to the Steese National Conservation Area by highway vehicles, such as passenger vehicles, motor homes, and vehicles pulling trailers, is limited to trailheads along the Steese Highway. Trailheads normally do not reach capacity, even on busy weekends and holidays. Much of the travel occurs during the big game hunting seasons, when the Upper and Lower Birch Creek waysides approach capacity. Around the summer solstice, crowding may also occur at Eagle Summit Wayside. Four-wheel drive vehicles can access the Steese Subunit along a number of State primitive roads (including Faith Creek, Harrison Creek, Miller Creek, Montana Creek, Porcupine Creek, and Portage Creek roads), although these are generally not maintained. In addition, the South Steese Unit may also be accessed using Fryingpan Creek Road. It is likely that the Great Unknown Creek, Harrison Creek, and Fryingpan Creek drainages have the largest potential for increased travel-related use in the summer by motorized users in the South Unit. Preacher Creek Drainage, including Bachelor Creek will continue to receive use and has the greatest potential for increased use in the North Unit.

Designated as a state scenic byway for its scenic, natural, recreation and historic values, the 175 mile-long Steese Highway connects Fairbanks with the small town of Circle on the banks of the Yukon River. The highway also provides access to BLM-managed public lands north of Fairbanks. From the Steese Highway, one can explore the Steese National Conservation Area, the White Mountains NRA, Beaver Creek WSR, and Birch Creek WSR.

Although there are no designated BLM motorized trails within the Steese National Conservation Area, many miles of user-created OHV routes, associated with hunting and trapping opportunities, have come to exist. These routes are generally unsustainable from a resource management perspective, due to the features of topography, soils, vegetation, and permafrost in the area.

While existing primitive roads and travel routes are the predominate access used by OHVs, both winter and summer cross-country travel does occur in many areas, thus expanding the system of user-created routes. Many have been identified by BLM, and some have been inventoried using GPS, while others continue to remain unknown and uninventoried.

Access to the Steese Subunit by air is provided by Arctic Circle, Circle and Central airports as well as remote landings by fixed-wing and rotary wing aircraft. Access to the Steese National Conservation Area by air is limited to remote landings by fixed-wing and rotary wing aircraft capable of landing on river gravel bars, ridgetops, and winter snows, and subject to provisions to protect the values of Birch Creek. Although no remote public airstrips have been developed by the BLM, a few unimproved airstrips, associated with mining and other activities, have been established within the National Conservation Area including Volcano Creek, McLean Creek, Sheep Creek and Preacher Creek airstrips.