BLM’s Minnewawa Truck Trail north access closed indefinitely
The public can use the south end at Doghouse Junction to access the Minnewawa Truck Trail and the Otay Mountain Wilderness
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management is encouraging recreationalists who use the Minnewawa Truck Trail and the Otay Mountain Wilderness to access these areas from the south end at Doghouse Junction (view map), as the northern parts of the truck trail and along Otay Lakes Road are closed to the public for an indefinite amount of time.
Owners of Pio Pico Campground, in coordination with the U.S. Border Patrol, have placed a lock at the north gate that provides access to the Minnewawa Truck Trail and the Otay Mountain Wilderness area for public safety.
“There are limited turnaround points and only one way in and out, so trail users should plan their route and exercise caution while traveling along the truck trail,” said Tim Gilloon, Palm Springs-South Coast field manager. “The BLM has placed signs along the route indicating Pio Pico Campground has locked its gate. BLM law enforcement and firefighters will have access to the locked gate for public safety.”
The Minnewawa Truck Trail is a 3.4-mile unpaved, well-maintained fire road popular for off-highway vehicle recreation and shared by trucks, ATVs, dirt bikes, mountain bikes, and U.S. Border Patrol. The trail is steep and narrow with an average 9 to 15 percent incline. The truck trail runs through the 16,883-acre BLM-managed Otay Mountain Wilderness and is home to a diversity of unique and sensitive plants. The Minnewawa Truck Trail is a popular recreation road with several hundred visitors each weekend and steady visitation during the weekdays.
For general information about the Minnewawa Truck Trail and the Otay Mountain Wilderness, please contact the BLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office at BLM_CA_Web_PS@blm.gov, or call 760-833-7100, during normal business hours. For information about the closure or access to the northern parts of the truck trail and along Otay Lakes Road, please contact Mike Scappechio, U.S. Border Patrol, 619-216-4182, or email: michael.j.scappechio@cbp.dhs.gov.
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.