| Contacts: | Kristi Murphy at the BLM Gunnison Field Office, 970-642-4454 |
BLM to Close West Side of Oh Be Joyful Campground (06-16-10)
Gunnison, Colo. – The BLM Gunnison Field Office will close the west side of Oh Be Joyful Campground and road 3220 at the Slate River crossing until further notice.
High run-off has caused the Slate River water crossing for vehicles to become unstable and unsafe for public use. Undercut banks along the Slate River within the campground area are also unsafe and designated campsites are washing away.
“Our goal is to keep the public safe. Unfortunately Mother Nature had her way at Oh Be Joyful,” said Kristi Murphy, outdoor recreation planner for the BLM Gunnison Field Office.
Crews are removing woody debris from the Slate River to stop the bank erosion and slow down the unstable situation. The BLM is currently putting together a plan to stabilize the undercut banks and restore the natural flow of the Slate River through the campground. This may take several months and will require public input.
Camping is still allowed on the east side of the Slate River at Oh Be Joyful Campground, located approximately 4 miles north of Crested Butte off of Forest Service Road 734. The area is a popular place for camping, kayaking and hiking.
For more information, contact Kristi Murphy at the BLM Gunnison Field Office, 970-642-4454.
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.
216 North Colorado Gunnison, CO 81230