| Contacts: | David Boyd, Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 876-9008 |
BLM Issues Advisory for Muddy Roads and Trails
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — The Bureau of Land Management Grand Junction Field Office is asking hikers, mountain bikers and off-highway vehicle riders to voluntarily stay off some trails this weekend, as many trails and roads are extremely wet, muddy and potentially dangerous this time of year.
“Thanks to rapidly thawed or thawing snow, the trails on Mack Ridge, 18 Road, the Tabeguache Area, and especially Rabbit Valley are extremely muddy right now,” said Katie A. Stevens, manager of the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area. “We are asking folks to voluntarily stay off of them over the weekend, both for safety reasons and to avoid damaging the trails.”
Stevens noted that while some small areas in the North Desert and on Mack Ridge have lost snow and are starting to dry out, Rabbit Valley still has more than six inches of snow that needs to melt off and dry out before travel will be advisable on the roads and trails in that area.
Stevens also noted that it is especially critical to stay off newly constructed trails, such as those at the Tabeguache Trailhead (also known as the “Lunch Loops”) area off of Monument and Little Park Road. Newly constructed trails are especially vulnerable to damage because they have not yet “hardened” and compacted, which makes them more durable.
Riding on trails in this muddy condition can cause severe damage that can last even after they dry out. Tracks established during muddy conditions create paths for water to flow down trails, even trails that are properly constructed, leading to erosion that can expand the trail footprint or even wash out sections of trail. Rehabilitation can be required, a costly and time-consuming process.
Park rangers and law enforcement rangers will be out on the public lands to contact, inform and educate users this weekend.
"A lot of us have cabin fever, but spring is almost here," Stevens said. "It will make a big difference if people can just hold off using the roads and trails for a little while longer until they are dry."
The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. 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.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506