Wilderness Society Helps Stop ORV Trail in Lost River Valley
The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) has abandoned its effort to create a 460-mile trail for off-road vehicle (ORV) use on federal lands running northeast from Arco to Challis through the scenic Lost River and Pahsimeroi Valleys. It would have been the longest such trail in the nation.
Idaho is suffering from an explosion in ORV use on public lands. In the Lost River Valley, ORV use already far exceeds levels imagined just a few years ago. The new, more powerful ORV models range farther into the backcountry, eliminating the silence and solitude that once characterized those areas and creating more conflicts with other public land users and wildlife. As wild as Idaho is, a whopping 78 percent of the state is within one mile of a motorized route.
The Wilderness Society fought this trail proposal for three years. Our success owes much to the relationships we formed with ranchers, property owners, and others in the communities along the proposed route. We made sure they received the facts on this scheme and had the opportunity to share their views with decision makers.
These alliances will prove important in coming years, too, because the concept of designating large routes for ORV use has not disappeared from the IDPR’s radar screen. There is already talk of a similar trail in North Idaho, near Wallace. In fact, the department’s original plan called for the Lost River Valley trail to be the first of several state-run projects for motorized recreation on public lands in Idaho, intended to draw enthusiasts from across the country.
For More Information
- Craig Gehrke, Director, Northern Rockies/Idaho Regional Office, 208-343-8153
