U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
| Contacts: | Joanna Wilson, (208) 524-7550 |
BLM Seasonal Closures for Motorized Trails in Pocatello
POCATELLO – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Pocatello Field Office would like to remind the public that seasonal trail closures are going into effect for motorized travel in the Pocatello and Soda Springs areas, specifically the Blackrock/Chinese Peak, Pocatello West Bench and Soda Springs Hills areas.
The Blackrock/Chinese Peak trail system is closed to motorized and mechanized travel from November 15 to April 15. The Pocatello West Bench and Soda Hills areas are closed to motorized travel from November 16 to May 15.
In the Soda Springs Hills, the Ninety Percent Canyon gate and the upper gates in Idaho Ranch Canyon and Swenson Canyon close on November 16. The lower gates in Idaho Ranch Canyon and Swenson Canyon will close on January 1, 2010.
“The purpose for the closures is to protect big game winter range in Blackrock/Chinese Peak and Soda Springs Hills areas and to minimize soil erosion/road damage within the Pocatello Watershed,” stated Blaine Newman, Supervisory Resource Management Specialist for the BLM Pocatello Field Office. “We appreciate the public’s cooperation in these closures.”
Other trails and roads on public lands may have seasonal/winter closures, please check with your local BLM office before visiting these areas. For more information on this closure or for general information, please contact the BLM in Pocatello at 208-478-6340.
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.