BLM temporarily restricting off-highway vehicle use in the Wood River Valley
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HAILEY, Idaho – The Bureau of Land Management Shoshone Field Office is implementing off-highway-vehicle and conditional seasonal restrictions in the Wood River Valley to minimize impacts to wintering deer and elk. No motor vehicles are allowed in the identified areas from Jan. 1–April 30, 2023.
A map of the restricted areas is available online and will be posted at the informal snowmobile trailheads. The Wood River Valley Recreation and Access Environmental Assessment and associated Decision Record authorized these restrictions.
Big game herds are returning to their historic winter range in the valley. Deer and elk experience adversity during the winter season, so limiting additional stress and providing for secluded winter habitat is important to maintain the health of big game herds throughout the season.
Recreationists, motorized and non-motorized alike, should consider their potential impacts to deer and elk in the area this winter and adjust their actions accordingly to minimize disturbance.
The following areas, except for motorized corridors, are closed to motorized use, including snowmobiles, from Jan. 1–April 30, 2023.
- All BLM land north of East Fork and Greenhorn
- South aspects of Ohio Gulch
- Quigley to Muldoon
- Bell Mountain to Picabo
- Croy Creek to south of Townsend Gulch and Hwy 20
- Big and Little Beaver Drainages
- Camp Creek and Poison Creek areas
- Elk Mountain area
Corridors open to motorized use include groomed snowmobile trails and ungroomed motorized corridors. The following are groomed for snowmobile use when there is sufficient snow: Quigley to Cove Creek, Muldoon, Sharps, Croy Creek to Camp Creek, Rock and West Glendale.
Ungroomed corridors include Ohio Gulch, Indian Creek, Slaughterhouse and Bell Mountain to Picabo. All motorized vehicles and snowmobiles are limited to the road corridor in these locations/areas.
The BLM patrols these areas to monitor and enforce restrictions. Refer to map for details and hard copies are available at the BLM Shoshone Field Office, 400 W. F St., Shoshone, ID 83552. For additional information, please contact BLM Shoshone Outdoor Recreation Planner John Kurtz at 208-732-7296.
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.