Is it really a good idea to convert Forest Service roads to ORV-only trails?

Editor:

You may have read that the Forest Service plans to close 97 miles of roads this year. The actual numbers are much more dramatic. If you live in the valley because you enjoy hunting, fishing or camping, you should be concerned. The Forest Service has quietly announced that they intend to close nearly one third of the roads in the Snowy Range. Out of a total of about 600 miles of roads in the Snowy Range the USFS plans to change the following:

Add to System as closed Road : 42 miles.

Convert to closed Road : 82 miles.

Decommission : 97 miles.

Convert to ORV only : 35 miles.

That’s a total of 256 miles of roads that will be closed to cars, trucks and campers.

Now, a few of these roads might be small spurs that go nowhere, or areas heavily damaged by four-wheelers going off road, but many of these roads are well used.

Out of all these closures I am personally most concerned with the “Convert to ORV only” areas.

Two roads in particular that are currently used by large numbers of hunters, campers and fishermen will soon be closed off to cars, trucks and campers.

1) The Cedar Creek loop, road 261 is going to be partially closed and partially converted to single use ORV only. This is a major road and the only easy access to the entire area west of Kennaday Peak. As a hunter I am very concerned about this closure.

2) Dipper Lake road, FSR 103 is going to be converted to single use ORV only. This is the only road in the system that gives access to multiple roadside lakes and a trail head to several more lakes. This road is heavily used by campers and fishermen. This is a rough 4wd road with access to South Twin Lake, North Twin Lake, Dipper Lake, Vagner Lake and Quealy Lake. It connects to FSR 105 (also on the cut list) with access to South Banner Lake, North Banner Lake and eventually comes out near Turpin Reservoir. There is also a trail head at Dipper Lake that gives hiking access to several small alpine lakes with no other close access. If you like to camp, fish or hike, you should be very concerned about this closure.

The Forest Service claims in their literature that they want this public land to be Multi-Use. Why then are they closing it off to anyone who does not drive a four-wheeler? The four-wheelers already have access to these roads. Let’s not let the Forest Service close the forest to the rest of us under the guise of giving underage drivers a place to play. There are lots of trails already available for children on ORV’s. Lets not take away access from everyone else.

If you drive a 4-wheeler everywhere, you might think that this is a good thing. But have you considered, what happens five or ten years from now when these underage riders have taken their off road vehicles off the road a little too often and the forest service decides to close all these trails? Who is going to stand with you then, if you don’t stand with the rest of us now to keep these roads open for all of us?

Download information from “http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=40299” and see if your favorite area is being closed off or changed to single use.

Please call 307-326-250, fax 307-326-5250, email to “comments-rm-medicine-bow-routt-brush-creek- [email protected]”, write, or talk to your local Forest Service representative and let them know your concerns. Only those people who submit written comments in the next week will be allowed to file objections after that.

Lyle Flansburg

Saratoga, WY