4x4Wire

WASHINGTON – After careful consideration and at the direction of Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, the Bureau of Land Management will temporarily suspend the collection of all entrance fees until further notice.

As a result, site-specific day-use fees at BLM recreation sites and areas will be waived for the foreseeable future. Other fees, such as overnight camping, cabin rentals, group day use, and use of special areas, will remain in effect.

“I’ve directed the Bureau of Land Management to waive entrance fees at recreation sites and national monuments that remain open. This small step makes it a little easier for the American public to enjoy the outdoors across the 245 million acres of public lands managed by the agency,” said Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt.

As the response to the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, NOHVCC will strive to keep our readers up to date on the impact it is having on OHV recreation. While every individual must make decisions based on their own health, willingness to take on risk, and recommendations and mandates from local, state and federal governments, at the moment, being outdoors and isolated (dispersed recreation) meets current “social distancing” recommendations. Currently, federal land managers seem to agree with this assessment. The National Park Service is modifying services to meet current realities (details here), and recommends users to contact individual parks for specific details on park operations. Please take this situation seriously and do all that you can to protect yourself, your loved ones, and our communities.

Please note that the response to COVID-19 is evolving rapidly, and the situation could change at any moment, including guidance from land management agencies. Please continue to monitor the news and other sources of information for the latest updates to the situation in your area.

The US Forest Service recently issued the 10-Year Trail Shared Stewardship Challenge which is billed as “…a call to action to increase our collective capacity to care for trails and increase on-the-ground results.” To read a brochure about the Trail Challenge click here.

The Trail Challenge consists of three phases. The Forest Service describes phase one, “the Launch and Learn” phase:

During the Launch and Learn phase, we are focusing on adaptive “learning lab” approaches that invite and encourage innovation and sharing. Success is driven by Forest Service regions and units working in collaboration with trail community stakeholders at local and broader levels to implement Trail Challenge elements (or portions of elements) when and where it makes the most sense. Successes and lessons learned during the Launch and Learn phase will help in refining, standardizing, and setting requirements of the two remaining phases of the Trail Challenge.

Today, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Congressman Paul Cook, and House Natural Resources Committee Federal Lands Subcommittee Chairman Tom McClintock authored and signed onto a letter to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Acting Director Brian Steed requesting new policy and guidelines for BLM state and field offices to implement Independent Monitoring Programs (IMP) at competitive off-highway vehicle (OHV) events on Federal land to avoid triggering Cost Recovery. 

McCarthy released the following statement:

“In California, we are blessed to have access to some of the most awe-inspiring public lands on the planet and many communities, such as those in eastern Kern County, rely on access to public lands for OHV tourism and recreation.

Fredonia, Ariz., June 5, 2018 - The U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service will implement additional fire restrictions, also known as Stage II fire restrictions, across the North Kaibab Ranger District, and the South Rim, North Rim and Inner Canyon of Grand Canyon National Park beginning at 8 a.m. this Friday, June 8, 2018. Visitors should be mindful that these new fire restrictions will limit certain activities and will remain in effect until rescinded, which typically occurs after significant and widespread moisture arrives and fire danger levels subside.

As a reminder, the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts are already in Stage II fire restrictions and will also remain in effect until lifted.