Shape BLM’s camping plan for Chaffee County

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public comment on a plan to manage dispersed camping on 38,000 acres of public land throughout Chaffee County.

The plan specifically addresses the Burmac trailhead and Methodist Mountain, among other areas. And it presents four “Alternatives,” ranging from no action to a substantial reduction in camping availability countywide.

SMT does not support one Alternative for the entire county. The plan is complex, and we don’t believe any single Alternative is quite right.

Instead, we ask you to join us in advising BLM to take the following actions:

  • Put vault toilets at the Burmac trailhead.
  • Around Salida, allow short-term camping (48hrs) only at the Burmac trailhead, in small sites managed by BLM.
  • Make BLM Road #5672 (the 4×4 road at Burmac) closed to motorized vehicles except for moto bikes and e-bikes. Continue to allow hiking and mountain bikes on the road.
  • Elsewhere in the county, focus on better managing camping—not banning it outright. As one example, look to the 18 Road Trails in Fruita, where BLM provides ample camping in a concentrated, managed area.
  • Coordinate any closures with the Forest Service. Otherwise, this plan could simply push camping problems onto adjacent public land.

The first 3 bullets above are part of Alternative D. The last 2 bullets are general recommendations.

It’s helpful to include specifics and examples to back up your feedback! For instance, we’re tired of finding human waste near Burmac. Hence, it needs toilets.

Read a PDF of the full plan here, and head here for more info and maps.

CLICK HERE TO COMMENT ON THE PLAN

Feedback deadline: January 31

In short, SMT supports dispersed camping because it provides quality outdoor experiences for locals and provides tourists with access to our trails. However, we have also seen the negative impacts of long-term, non-recreational camping. Limited camping at Burmac—with BLM providing vault toilets and developing small campsites oriented toward short stays—would mitigate those problems without banning camping entirely. (You can read more info and reasoning behind our position here.)

We encourage you to review the entire camping plan and share any additional thoughts you have with BLM. There is much more to consider beyond Burmac—such as the potential to reduce camping near Shavano by up to 90%.

Bottom line: This plan will have major repercussions for recreation and camping on BLM lands throughout the county. Don’t miss you chance to shape the plan into something you support!