ShareTrails | USFS Proposing Restrictions for Vehicle-based Dispersed Camping on National Forest System Lands in Colorado’s Chaffee, Freemont, Saguache, Park, and Lake counties.

Proposals to restrict dispersed camping in Colorado is nothing new however this time, The U.S. Forest Service is singling out vehicle-based camping. BLM land in Chaffee County, just last year proposed many restrictions to camping and recreation use. The issue isn’t people accessing public lands, it’s high value, private property owners not wanting anyone on adjacent land. The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have been catering to private property owners claiming “user-conflict” when typically no such user conflict is officially reported and documented.

Project area in Central Colorado

Any damage or impacts to natural resources should be first managed by the land agency. USFS is claiming there are robust amounts of incidents and shows pictures of trashed areas. We believe this is the exception and not the rule. There are solutions to problems we are seeing such as: better fencing, signs, better infrastructure and more access to waste facilities. The options the Forest Service is currently looking at for these areas are:

Designated Dispersed SitesDeveloped CampgroundsTraditional Dispersed CampingNo Camping Areas

BRC believes better management needs to be on that list rather than start implementing restrictions. You can read the proposal here. Please use the tool below to submit a comment letting the Forest Service know that dispersed camping is important to you. Comments are due, April 4, 2022.