| Contacts: | David Boyd, Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 876-9008 |
BLM winter closures begin Dec. 1
SILT, Colo. – Annual winter closures to motorized vehicles on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management’s Field Office in Silt will go into effect Dec.1 to protect critical big game winter range and prevent road damage.
These seasonal gate closures occur annually from Dec. 1 to April 30 at several points in the Castle Peak area in Eagle County, East Elk Creek in Garfield County, and on Light Hill and the Crown in Pitkin County.
All of the areas continue to be open to non-motorized recreation opportunities such as hiking, snowshoeing, horseback riding and skiing.
“We appreciate the public’s cooperation in helping us protect wildlife and public lands,” said Steve Bennett, Field Manager in Silt.
BLM’s Wolcott and Gypsum campgrounds are closed for the winter and will reopen this spring when conditions allow.
For additional information or to report violations in these areas call the BLM Field Office in Silt, (970) 876-9000.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2300 River Frontage Road Silt, CO 81652