Update 3-18-2023: The Plan has entered the National Environmental Policy Act Scoping stage. The Bureau is accepting comments until April 3, 2023.
See the new press release here.
The Bureau has also released maps for four alternatives that are described in the Press Release. Links to the maps are below.
The Bureau of Land Management has initiated a comment period for a proposed Travel Management plan that will affect access to 350,000 acres of land near the towns of Mammoth, Benson, Winkelman, Kerney, Florence, Globe, Tucson, and mostly consists of State Trust Land.
The proposed action will impose the Bureaus will on over 700 miles of existing roads on Bureau of Land Management land in the Middle Gila South, Lower San Pedro, and Picacho Travel Management Areas. This area contains multiple popular destinations accessed by hundreds of miles of RS 2477 roads.
We encourage you to submit your comments on this proposal. The Bureau will shape the plan based on substantial comments that answer the questions below. Your involvement in this plan is essential to establish opposition to closing or restricting access to public lands. We encourage you to be wise when submitting these comments. Stick to the facts, establish solutions, but stand firm for your access.
If you submit a substantial comment, you will have the standing to appeal the final decision, bringing the Bureau’s proposed action in front of a judge for review.
The Bureau is asking for the following information from the public:
- What are the uses and activities you engage in, or are interested in, on public lands in the Planning Area?
- Please identify the public land area(s) that you use?
- How do you access the public land areas for your land use activities?
- What modes of transportation or vehicle(s) do you use to access public land for your activities in the Planning Area?
- Please list any areas or sites with fragile or sensitive resource values that may need special management consideration.
- Please list any existing access route(s) (road or trail) that have conditions that hinder or block access or make the route unsafe.
- Please provide any other information to help the BLM identify the existing access and transportation management issues and help define planning goals, objectives, and alternatives for access route management.
Submit your comments here!
Submitting your comments using our form below will email your comment to the Bureau to be included in the Travel Management Process. When submitted, your comment will become part of the public record through the Bureau of Land Management. Please do not indulge any personal information aside from what’s asked in this form.
Alternatively, you can use send your comments to middlegilasouth-tmp@blm.gov.
Submitting your comment here is beneficial and allows us to contact you to take further action in the future or possibly join us for an appeal.
Comment on Middle Gila Travel Management Plan
View the area and roads below
The map below DOES NOT show what roads are closing. This map shows the roads within the affected lands. The Bureau has not proposed any action on any road at this time. They will craft their proposal based on the comments received during this scoping process.
News Release
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Author: Kevin Allard
Kevin is an American outdoorsman born and raised in rural Arizona who grew up exploring the Arizona backcountry with his father. Today, he and his son travel to the most remote regions of Arizona, scavenging for the remains of early western pioneers. As a lifelong outdoorsman, Kevin has learned to stick close to his roots while engaging in important advocacy work regarding motorized access to public lands. You can find his work in many local and nationwide publications, including The Western Journal, 4Low Magazine, and his website AZBackroads.com.
