One of the best things about the Owyhee Canyonlands is the freedom to go out with your family and enjoy Idaho’s public lands. There are hundreds of miles of back roads and historic trails to explore, letting everyone choose their own adventure. The Owyhees are also home to increasingly rare wildlife such as bighorn sheep, Greater sage-grouse, pygmy rabbit, and Golden eagles.
Roads and motorized trails are a part of public lands adventures for some, but too many trails in the wrong places can ruin the solitude and wildlife habitat that makes this place special. Unfortunately, thoughtless recreationists have been ignoring the basic rules recommended by Owyhee County and have been pioneering hundreds of new cross-country trails across open rangeland, dumping trash, and vandalizing private property.
Everyone has a right to enjoy Idaho’s public lands, but no one has a right to abuse them.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is asking for public comments on a much needed Travel Management Plan for the 251,000-acre Grand View Travel Planning Area in the Owyhees. The comment period runs through April 1, 2024.
The Grand View travel planning area runs from the Bruneau River west to Castle Creek near Oreana and from Highway 78 to the Mud Flat Road/Antelope Springs junction.
The BLM is considering designating between 462 and 808 miles of motorized routes for public use and a maximum of just 6 miles of non-motorized trails.
Unfortunately, those that abused our public lands and created illegal routes are now demanding that the BLM designate the maze of illegal user-created scars on the land as official routes under Alternative D, the maximum motorized option. If we continue down that road, there soon won’t be any more backcountry left to explore on your own, any more quiet places to enjoy on a weekend, or wildlife to admire when you get there. This abuse should be stopped, not rewarded. There is a place for motorized use in the Owyhees, but it shouldn’t be every place.
As Idahoans, we know that good stewardship doesn’t just happen automatically; people have to speak up for the right thing. Please send your individual comments to the BLM before April 1. Here are some suggested talking points for your comments:
- Tell the BLM a little bit about yourself and why and how you appreciate the Owyhee Canyonlands, or your plans to travel there. This could include any stories about the wildlife you value, how you recreate in the area, or how the current scale of motorized recreation is affecting your interest in recreating in the Owyhees.
- Ask the BLM to select Alternative B because it is the most protective of wildlife and water quality – these are some of the values that make the Owyhees so special!
- Describe the importance of dedicated non-motorized trails to you. Ask the BLM to dedicate at least 15% of the trails for non-motorized recreationists (the current set of alternatives dedicate less than 2% for quiet recreationists).
- Ask the BLM to designate the area around Doyle Mountain as non-motorized, non-mechanized.
Free for all, not a “Free-for-all”
Alternative B does the best job of protecting wildlife and water quality – and making room for all Idahoans from hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers to dirt bikers and OHV enthusiasts.
We invite you to join us in taking care of the wildlife, the landscape, the trails, and each other. Take action today!