Billings Field Office
| Contacts: | Mary Apple 406-896-5258 |
Road Report for BLM Lands in Southern Montana
Bureau of Land Management roads in the Billings Field Office area have suffered considerable damage from recent rain and floods. Some roads are no longer passable by full-size vehicles. Some two-track and single-track trails are no longer passable by all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and are usable only by motorcycles. Some roads and trails are no longer passable by vehicles of any type.
With the warm weather and the holiday weekend approaching, many people will be visiting the local public lands, attempting to drive on these roads and trails. However, travel is at the individual’s own risk. Conditions may change rapidly, and the BLM urges users to be safe and patient, especially in construction areas.
Sykes Canyon Road – Detour signs are in place where the road drops into the wash. The signs direct users to stay to the east and use the ridge route. Full-size high clearance, short wheelbase four-wheel drive (4WD) trucks, and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are recommended.
Stockman Trail– This road is temporarily closed at its junction with Helt Road and is impassable by all vehicles. This area should be avoided.
Bear Canyon – This road is temporarily closed at the east fork of the junction and is impassable by all vehicles. The small primitive campsite at the end of the road is also closed. Users are asked to stay out of this area.
Horse Haven Trail – Passable to high clearance vehicles--short wheelbase 4WD trucks and SUVs recommended.
Crooked Creek Road - Passable to high clearance vehicles--short wheelbase 4WD trucks and SUVs recommended.
Burnt Timber Road – Passable to high clearance vehicles--short wheelbase 4WD trucks and SUVs recommended.
Gyp Springs Road – Passable by full-size vehicles.
Helt Road – Passable by full-size vehicles.
The BLM’s Asparagus Point Recreation Area east of Roundup is currently flooded and closed. It will reopen after the water level recedes and repairs have been made.
A portion of the Sundance Lodge Recreation Area at Laurel is also currently flooded. The parking lot and facilities are open.
Pompeys Pillar National Monument is open and operating normally; however, the picnic area is closed.
For road conditions in the Pryor Mountains on lands managed by the Custer National Forest, please contact the Beartooth Ranger District at (406) 446-2103. For more information on BLM lands, please call (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