Dillon Field Office
| Contacts: | Contact Tim Finger 406-682-4082 |
BLM Urges Madison River Users to Use Legal Parking
Because of safety hazards, drivers who park in the “no parking” zone on Highway 84 along the Lower Madison River may be cited and their vehicles towed.
The recreation facilities along the Lower Madison River, especially those between Warm Springs Boat Launch and Black’s Ford Fishing Access Site, have been seriously overcrowded during hot weather. Cars parked along both sides of the highway and the heavy pedestrian traffic create serious safety hazards.
As an alternative, drivers are urged to use the “California Corner” about half a mile downriver from the Warm Springs site. It has several large parking lots at the end of a short access road. Look for the turnout from the highway just past the old bridge piling in the middle of the river. This site is reserved for those using hand-launched water craft such as inner tubes and rafts.
There are also several small parking lots just upstream from the popular Black’s Ford Fishing Access Site. These sites can alleviate much of the traffic congestion in the Black’s Ford parking lot and access road.
For further information or directions, please call the Bureau of Land Management recreation staff at (406) 682-4082. Come and have fun, but be safe too.
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.
Dillon Field Office 1005 Selway Dillon, MT 59725