BLM’s Blackwell Island Recreation Site and boat launch to open May 21
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Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – Marking the beginning of the boating season on Lake Coeur d’Alene, the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Blackwell Island recreation site and boat launches will open on Thursday, May 21. The 134-space parking lot and four-lane boat launch at Blackwell Island are highly sought after by area boaters and anglers during the summer months. The recreation site also offers picnicking, a native plant garden and wildlife viewing along the nature trail. The site is open daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. through mid-October.
To provide convenience to visitors and a more efficient method of payment for the daily fee of $6, the Coeur d’Alene Field Office has installed two credit card machines at the recreation site. Users are encouraged to take advantage of this option and can choose to purchase a daily pass or a season pass voucher. Season pass rates are $40 and can be used at both Blackwell Island and the Mineral Ridge boat launch. If using a credit card is not an option, the field office is highly encouraging payment by check in lieu of cash.
Visitors purchasing a season pass voucher through a credit card machine can redeem them in several ways: during the first two weekends of the site opening (weather permitting), recreation staff will be on site to exchange vouchers for passes between 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Vouchers can also be redeemed for a pass over the phone during the normal office business hours of 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by calling the Coeur d’Alene BLM office at 208-769-5000. Callers will need to provide information from the voucher, and the field office will then mail the pass to them.
Season passes are also available for purchase year-round by contacting either the BLM’s Coeur d’Alene Office or the Spokane Office at 509-536-1200.
Proceeds from user fees go directly back into maintenance and other improvements at the Blackwell site. Over the past several years improvements that enhance the public’s experience at the site included replacing the nature trail planking, installing fencing and interpretive signs and re-sealing and striping the parking lot.
For additional information about BLM’s Blackwell Island Recreation Site please visit: https://www.blm.gov/visit/blackwell-island
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The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In fiscal year 2018, the diverse activities authorized on BLM-managed lands generated $105 billion in economic output across the country. This economic activity supported 471,000 jobs and contributed substantial revenue to the U.S. Treasury and state governments, mostly through royalties on minerals.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.