Miles City Field Office
| Contacts: | Contact Mark Jacobsen 406-233-2831 |
BLM Restricts Vehicles at Local Recreation Areas
The BLM has closed both the Strawberry Hill and Pumpkin Creek Ranch recreation areas to vehicle traffic due to excessive road erosion caused by heavy rains.
Recent patrols by BLM staff have reported considerable damage to roads in these areas and a high potential for unsafe conditions for drivers.
This closure does not apply to walk-in access and hikers are welcome to continue to enjoy these areas.
The BLM would also like to remind the public that recent closures at both the Howrey Island Recreation Area east of Hysham and a portion of the Matthews Recreation Area near Miles City remain in effect until further notice. Those areas were previously closed due to hazards posed by high water flooding from the Yellowstone River.
All of the Howrey Island Recreation Area remains closed to both walk-in and vehicle traffic.
The closed portion of the Matthews Recreation Area only consists of the area adjacent to Jones Creek and near the river; particularly where flooding has undercut portions of the sidewalk and poses a safety hazard.
All closed areas will be marked with signs and flagging. The BLM will rescind the closures when weather conditions permit a reassessment and road and resource conditions have been addressed.
For more information call BLM Recreation Planner Dena Lang at (406)233-2800.
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.
Miles City Field Office 111 Garryowen Road Miles City, MT 59301