The U.S. Forest Service is considering the environmental impact of a proposed trail in Idaho’s Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
According to information released by the BlueRibbon Coalition, the Forest Service intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to analyze and disclose the environmental effects of constructing a motorized trail from Morgan Meadows to Caribou City on the Soda Springs Ranger District of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in Idaho.
The project is a response to outside public interest to provide a motorized trail from Morgan Meadows to Caribou City, allowing forest visitors to experience the mining history of the area.
Planning efforts for the trail have been ongoing since 2007. The plan calls for the establishment of a motorized trail from Morgan Meadows to Caribou City. This project includes constructing approximately 2.2 miles of new trail and managing the new trail as a motorized trail. Further, the proposed action calls for reconstructing approximately 4.85 miles of existing trails, exploratory mining roads and abandoned roads to implement the Winschell Dugway Motorized Trail project.
The proposed action addresses the trail corridor in the following specific segments:
1. Use .75 mile of Trail #449, from Morgan Meadows to Tincup Creek.
2. Reconstruction of 1.5 miles of trail from Tincup Creek to the saddle west of Jackknife Basin.
3. Construct 1.5 miles along the ridgeline west of Jackknife Basin to an old reclaimed gold exploratory road.
4. Use of old reclaimed gold exploratory road for approximately .6 mile.
5. Construction of .1 mile down into the Bilk Creek drainage.
6. Use of abandoned mining road that crosses Bilk Creek and continues to ridgeline between Anderson and Bilk Creeks.
7. Construction of .5 mile on ridgeline in the Anderson Creek drainage back into Bilk Creek.
8. Use of old roadbed for .2 mile in Bilk Creek.
9. Construction of .1 mile of route that would tie into a well-used road that takes the trail to Caribou City.
Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received by March 18, 2016. The draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected June, 2016 and the Final Environmental Impact Statement is expected October, 2016. Send written comments to Garth Smelser, Forest Supervisor, Caribou-Targhee National Forest, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, ID 83402. Comments may also be sent via email to comments-intermtn-caribou-targhee@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile to 208-557-5827.
For further information, contact Jessica Taylor, Forest NEPA Coordinator at 208-557-5837.
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