Billings Field Office
| Contacts: | Mary Apple 406-896-5258 |
Recent Rains Affect BLM Recreation Sites
The recent rain and floods have affected some Bureau of Land Management recreation sites in the Billings Field Office area.
The Asparagus Point Recreation Area east of Roundup on the Musselshell River is currently flooded and closed. It will reopen after the water level recedes and repairs have been made.
Many vehicle routes in the Pryor Mountains have impassable sections. These include the Sykes Ridge Road, Stockman Trail, and Bear Canyon Road. Other areas in Carbon County, including Bobcat Pass, the Hunt Creek low water crossing, and Cub Creek Road have dangerous driving conditions. Not all roads are currently passable by full-size vehicles and some are not passable even by smaller vehicles, if at all. Driving in all areas should be done with caution and attention. If in doubt, stay out, or call the Billings Field Office (896-5013) for current conditions before you go.
The Shepherd Ah-Nei OHV riding area is also closed until the area dries out. Riding on muddy trails can cause considerable damage which requires expensive repairs. In addition, BLM crews are removing a number of trees which have fallen across trails and are causing hazardous riding conditions.
According to Billings Field Manager Jim Sparks, vandals have struck the Shepherd Ah-Nei OHV area several times during the closure. “They have cut fences and removed gates in order to go OHV riding. This is illegal and could also create a very negative public image of OHV riders. By having to spend funds to repair vandalism, we forego making improvements to the site—our budget doesn’t allow us to do both. We are working to open the area as soon as possible and ask users for their patience.” For up-to-date information on the Shepherd Ah-Nei OHV Area, please call the BLM information line at (406) 896-5014.
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.
Billings Field Office 5001 Southgate Drive Billings, MT 59101