Comment period is open until June 5 for the Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) affecting the future of Travel Management in the East Fork South Fork (EFSF) Salmon River portion of the Krassel Ranger District, Payette National Forest.
Proposals in the Draft range from no-change in motorized access, to adding up to about 26 miles of public road and trail access beyond the current inventory.
The Forest will issue a final Decision Notice and implement the plan estimated October 2024. The Decision will guide how motorized access is managed to this portion of the Forest going forward. No losses are expected, but gains are possible depending on the Forest’s final Decision.
Learn more about the Draft plan here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/payette/?project=60889
Comment submission form here: https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=60889
(Attaching a DOC or PDF of your comments is recommended; else, type or paste text into the form fields provided.)
The Forest presently manages motorized access in the EFSF area under the 2007 Payette Travel Management FEIS, the 2008 McCall/Krassel and 2010 Big Creek Yellow Pine TMP Records of Decision, and the 2024 Motor Vehicle Use Map. A 2017 settlement to a lawsuit which challenged the 2007/2008/2010 TMPs requires this Plan to be completed. (Two of three Plans total required by the settlement were previously Decided and are in the process of being implemented: Big Creek and South Fork RAMPs.)
IDPR has submitted its commentary based on the themes summarized below. Additional requests are based on routes which stakeholders have for many years been asking the Forest to implement.
- IDPR Supports Alternative D, plus proposed modifications:
- Re-open Sugar Creek Road 51883 as a Trail for 70” and under OHVs (closed ~2016)
- Re-open Crater Lake Road as a Trail for 70” and under OHVs (closed ~2016)
- Re-open Parks Peak Trails 069 and 074 to 2-wheeled OHVs as-proposed in Alt D, and also re-open connecting Rainbow Ridge Trail 070 to create a loop (each closed ~2000)
- Give greater consideration for the economic survival of the Yellow Pine community, which recreation visitation will ensure
Please inform fellow recreationists of this public process.
