diff --git a/backend/services/navi_offroute/router.py b/backend/services/navi_offroute/router.py
index 40f444b..8ab0fd9 100755
--- a/backend/services/navi_offroute/router.py
+++ b/backend/services/navi_offroute/router.py
@@ -543,6 +543,17 @@ class OffrouteRouter:
         if mode not in MODE_TO_COSTING:
             return {"status": "error", "message": f"Unknown mode: {mode}"}
 
+        # Vehicle is pure Valhalla road routing: Valhalla snaps endpoints to the
+        # nearest road automatically, so the off-network classifier is irrelevant
+        # (and a tight threshold would wrongly push normal road routes into
+        # wilderness pathfinding). Foot/MTB/ATV still use the threshold gate so
+        # users can intentionally pin backcountry points. Auto inherits this via
+        # its recursive self.route(..., mode="vehicle", ...) probe.
+        if mode == "vehicle":
+            return self._route_D_network_only(
+                start_lat, start_lon, end_lat, end_lon, mode
+            )
+
         # Detect network status for both endpoints
         start_status = self._locate_on_network(start_lat, start_lon, mode)
         end_status = self._locate_on_network(end_lat, end_lon, mode)
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/DirectionsPanel.jsx b/frontend/src/components/DirectionsPanel.jsx
index 428abee..d8ac724 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/DirectionsPanel.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/DirectionsPanel.jsx
@@ -325,8 +325,9 @@ export default function DirectionsPanel({ onClose }) {
         </div>
       )}
 
-      {/* Boundary mode selector (only for non-auto modes) */}
-      {routeMode !== "auto" && (
+      {/* Boundary mode selector — hidden only for Drive (vehicle), which is pure
+          Valhalla road routing; Auto/Foot/MTB/ATV may traverse wilderness. */}
+      {routeMode !== "vehicle" && (
         <div className="flex gap-1">
           {BOUNDARY_MODES.map((m) => {
             const active = boundaryMode === m.id