BLM proposes reopening road to Bullwhacker area

Editor’s note: This version includes online and mail access to provide comments, which was inadvertently left out of the original version.

The Montana Bureau of Land Management is soliciting public comment on their plan to possibly open the Bullwhacker area of the Upper Missouri River Breaks to mechanized and motorized vehicle access.

A description of the proposal and maps of the project area are available on the e-Planning website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030427/510 .

Comments may be submitted using the following methods:

Electronic (preferred)

BLM e-Planning at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030427/510  – click on the green “Participate Now” button.

U.S. Postal Service

Bureau of Land Management

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument

ATTN: Left Coulee Access

920 NE Main Street

Lewistown, MT 59457

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument Manager Zane Fulbright said the area hasn’t been readily accessible since 2008 when a judge determined that the road being used at the time, which goes through private property, was not a county road, and anyone seeking to cross would require landowner permission.

Fulbright said the 90,000 acre area isn’t as big as many other parks, but it’s still a substantial amount of land that hasn’t been readily accessible to hunters and recreationists by anything but foot or horse for a long time.

“It’s not Yellowstone or Glacier, but when you lose access you thought you had, that does affect a significant number of people,” he said.

Fulbright said the current proposal is to reopen the 0.6 mile segment of road that would allow vehicles like trucks and cars, as well as UTVs and bicycles to pass freely, or during certain times of year, and connect with an existing network of roads within the area, a network that hasn’t been readily accessible since the 2008.

“The proposed road segment extends south from the private parcel to the Left Coulee Airstrip where it meets BLM road 241215,” a press release from BLM says. “No engineered road-construction activities are proposed.”

Fulbright said the proposal is not a guarantee that this road will be opened, as they are still in the middle of an environmental assessment which will gauge the likely impact of opening access on a full or seasonable basis.

He said people are of course welcome to share their opinion on the matter, but he wants to stress that this public comment period, which will last through January, is not a vote, and its primary function is to collect people’s concern and local knowledge on the area.

“We’re looking for that substantial public comment right now,” he said, “To see if there is maybe a possible alternative we missed, or something else we should be considering.”

He said BLM and the Breaks have their own specialists in areas like hydrology, ecology, soil, engineering and cultural resource preservation, but there are always people in the area who have knowledge of the area they may not, and they want to hear from them about their concerns and ideas.

Fulbright said the assessment is still in its early stages, and he’s not sure what it will show, but he knows potential issues go beyond erosion.

He said there are potential concerns about the impact of opening vehicle access to the Cow Creek Wilderness Study Area as well as potential effects on sage grouse and objects of cultural importance in the area.

A release from BLM says the organization wants to support recreation in the area, but it’s not their only goal, so they need to do their due diligence to evaluate impacts of any decision they make.

“Providing recreational opportunities is central to the BLM’s mission to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations,” the release says. “Lands within the monument are managed not only for outdoor recreation enthusiasts and other uses within the BLM’s mission, but also to preserve landscapes associated with Lewis and Clarks’ journey across the United States, the Nez Perce Trail, wilderness study areas, and wild and scenic rivers.

Fulbright said the public comment period only started this week, but it seems like word is spreading fast, and they hope to get a healthy amount of public engagement.