Mountain Home, ID - The U.S. Forest Service Mountain Home Ranger District has extended indefinitely the closure for the motorized access on all trails in the Danskin Mountain OHV Area to minimize trail damage and protect resources due to lingering snow and continued rainfall that have led to very wet trail conditions. This closure prohibits all motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle travel on designated trails within the Danskin Mountains OHV Area.
Mountain Home District Ranger Stephaney Church extended the closure past the anticipated ending on April 10, due to the cool wet weather this spring. District staff reviewed part of the trail system and encountered washed out culverts, down trees and cut slope failures. Trail restrictions are annually put in place starting Jan. 1 and last through the early season in order to reduce potential motor vehicle damage on soft or muddy trails.
"As conditions now stand, I anticipate the closure could be extended through to April 21, or even longer," Church said. "We will continue to monitor trail conditions on a weekly basis and open the area to motorized travel just as soon as conditions allow." The extension will allow the system to continue dry and allow for completion of needed repairs.
The extended restrictions are established by a Forest Supervisor closure order and are enforceable by Forest Service law enforcement officers. Primary access routes and area trailheads are signed with the closure order. A key ingredient to protect the trails is user compliance. Citizens observing illegal activity are encouraged to report violators to Forest Service law enforcement officers.
The Danskin Mountains OHV Area is located about 20 miles east of Boise and involves nearly 160 miles of designated motorized use trails.
Further information is available by contacting the Mountain Home Ranger District office at (208) 587-7961.
View the closure order and map here: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5291471.pdf.
