BLM releases final rule guiding travel management on public lands in the Uncompahgre Field Office

MONTROSE, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has finalized a supplementary rule implementing decisions approved in travel management plans for the Dry Creek, Ridgway, and Norwood-Burn Canyon travel management areas in the Uncompahgre Field Office. The rule makes enforceable protections for natural resources and wildlife habitat on BLM-managed public lands in Delta, Montrose, Ouray, and San Miguel counties.

“Establishing this supplementary rule has been a long time in coming,” said Uncompahgre Field Manager Dan Ben-Horin. “The rulemaking enables us to continue providing travel and recreation opportunities on these public lands while ensuring the protection of natural resources and key habitat for wildlife—including mule deer, elk, and Gunnison sage-grouse—that make the Uncompahgre Field Office such an outstanding area.”

The supplementary rule implements decisions in the three travel management plans limiting the use of mechanized (non-motorized) vehicles to designated travel routes, with the following exemptions:

• During authorized hunting seasons, big game hunters may use mechanized game carts off designated routes when necessary to retrieve big game animals outside of designated wilderness and wilderness study areas.
• Mechanized vehicles are permitted to pull off designated routes up to one vehicle-width from the edge of a roadway to accommodate parking, dispersed camping, and general recreation. 
• In the Dry Creek Travel Management Area, mechanized vehicles are permitted to pull off within 300 feet of a designated route in designated camping areas as indicated by BLM signs or maps.

Decisions in the travel management plans pertaining to off-highway vehicles are enforced under existing off-highway vehicle regulations and are not part of this rule.

The supplementary rule also makes enforceable seasonal restrictions to protect big game winter habitat, which prohibits all modes of travel within the Ridgway Travel Management Area and mechanized travel within the Norwood-Burn Canyon Travel Management Area from December 1 through April 30, and mechanized travel within big game winter habitat in the Dry Creek Travel Management Area from December 1 through April 15. In addition, the rule implements pet leash restrictions within portions of the Ridgway and Norwood-Burn Canyon travel management areas, as well as the closure of the Ridgway Travel Management Area to overnight use.

The Final Supplementary Rule for Travel Management on Public Lands in Montrose, Delta, San Miguel, and Ouray Counties, CO will publish in the Federal Register on Monday, September 9.