Public Lands Notice: Middle Fork Judith River Changes (1 Viewer)

[406Camper]

All:
Only four days after our epic Judith River Club Run, the attached Decision Memo was signed by Ron Wiseman, District Ranger.
It appears we have lost 'access' to about 20 of the 28 river crossings on the trail IAW the 2007 travel management plan due to riparian restoration as discussed in the following thread: We're about to lose access to the middle fork of the judith - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/were-about-to-lose-access-to-the-middle-fork-of-the-judith.1214183/post-13383551
Ron (@elkun1), was right!
The new route "will go through Arch Coulee bypassing 20 stream crossings on the Middle Fork. Once completed this will be the new route and the portion in the stream (20 crossings) from Studhorse to Arch coulee will be rehabilitated/restored with the foot/horse trail (non motorized) remaining."
I don't know where Studhorse Hill is, but 3 miles before the Arch Coulee (red X on below map) would eliminate most of the river crossings. There is talk of rerouting it to Woodchopper Ridge far away from the river. The memo also discusses re-routes west of Arch Coulee.

Enforcement/implementation is unknown at this time.
I will keep you all posted as I learn more.

Mark Boyd
Public Lands Coordinator

 

[clemson55]

If they are going to build an alternate route that gets you to the same area we haven't lost access, its just changed a little. Its not our right to cross the river a bunch of times and damage it. We should all be sensitive to the environments we are out driving in, especially here in Montana where we have so many unique and very sensitive places. Leave no Trace.

 

[REZARF]

Thanks for the update Mark!