Plans on closing Oregon Dunes trails to ATVs move forward
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Public comments on a plan to close some unauthorized off-road vehicle trails in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area are due by Dec. 10.
The recreation area covers 29,000 acres from Florence to North Bend along the Oregon Coast. It's a popular playground for riders of dirt bikes, dune buggies and four-wheelers.
Over the years riders have carved out a 135-mile web of trails through the vegetated sections. Now the Forest Service is cracking down on riding in unauthorized areas.
The Gazette-Times reports an 150-page draft environmental impact statement about the plan has been released for public comment.
Some 5,930 acres of open sand has been set aside for off-road vehicles.
There's another 4,455 acres of vegetated areas where riding is allowed on 34 miles of designated trails.
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Information from: Gazette-Times
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
You have it all wrong. We didn't make the trails the vegetation has taken over our riding area. You need to get you facts right. The other thing is we all pay taxes and we only have 20 percent of the dunes to ride on . If I walk or ride houses they can use 100 percent so what gives them the right to take this away from family's that pay taxes and use what we have a right to use. I have grown up riding on the dunes ,my children also grew up riding and now my grand children are riding. I don't want them not to be able to enjoy what we did.
What a one sided article. Riders have not carved out 135 miles of trails. Most of the trails targeted for closing were existing travel routes that the vegitation has grown up around. If you go back 60 years most of all those areas were open sand. The Forest Service than planted non native vegitation in an attenpt to control the sand. Due to their mismanagement of the land that vegitation has now overgrown and overrun the OHV riding areas along with the other 20,000 arcres. The problems are not just an OHV issue. The dunes are dieing from mismanagement and will be lost for all users in all areas if nothing is done. We the OHV community only want to retain the area already set aside for our use and want to partner with other organizations to restore not just our areas but the entire ODNRA. This area is a treasure for everyone and on its current coarse will be grown over in less than 50 years and gone forever.
Its funny that Off road vehicles have to have a permit for the sand but bicycles get a free ride on gas tax funded bike trails thru wetlands and sensitive areas
THIS IS BULL!!!! Close my trails I will keep making new ones!
@Coosbayresident Thanks idiot....that's why they step in and close off the areas to begin with. I hope they catch you, fine you, and post your booking photo in the local papers so we can all point and laugh
There are plenty of trails and designated areas where we can ride out "play toys". Of course there are always those who think they need to flout the rules and ride wherever they want to. It's those people who make it tough for all of us. The Forest Service IS NOT going to close the Dunes. They are merely trying to preserve the most vulnerable areas. Stop crying wolf!
 @the buttcut Actually, what they wish to close off are 62 percent of the existing trails - so No, there are not going to be plenty of trails - there will be virtually no trails open - other than the whoop roads going from one are to another. The rest are going to be closed. It's not crying wolf. These are the trails that we teach our kids how to ride on, and get to a place where we can park and walk to the beach.
Concussion or not you know just as i do that when they start closing parts of it more will follow and soon the whole area is off limits.See it all the time =))
read the article. Feds are talking partial closure. Â Sometimes knee jerk reactions must be so severe a mild brain concussion occurs. Â There are enough dedicated trails for off road play toys. Â The erosion that happens can be non reversible after ruts turn into slides. Â See it all the time in lower elevation areas. Â
 @drinkmorewater The Feds have been closing off areas since 1979 + then add in the fact that the Dunes are overgrown with invasive Species planted by the FS which has closed off riding area - and you might know the real issues. Please educate yourself on the issue !
Democrats politicians close the forest,shut down beaches,draw circles in the ocean,stop coal trains and natural gas depots,ban centuries old hunting practices and shut down a family friendly hobby practiced by thousands of Oregonians. Voting has consequences!
they close the dunes and the tourist money goes with it =(environmental impact how about the coal trains they want to run ya i see all kinds of stupid stuff going wrong here!!!
The formula.... take away freedom, then make money through fines.