CORVALLIS — An environmental review of a plan to close some unauthorized off-road vehicle trails in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area has been released for public comment.
Opinions on the 150-page draft review are due to the Siuslaw National Forest by Dec. 10, the Corvallis Gazette-Times reported.
The recreation area covers 29,000 acres from Florence to North Bend along the Oregon Coast. It’s a popular playground for riders of dirt bikes, dune buggies and four-wheelers.
Over the years, however, riders have carved out a 135-mile web of trails through the vegetated sections. Now the Forest Service is cracking down on riding in unauthorized areas.
The plan aims for something of a compromise that likely would include a modest expansion of the authorized trail network and the open riding areas while enforcing rules for unauthorized areas.
The areas proposed for reallocation to open riding already tend to be popular with users of off-highway vehicles and vegetated with invasive species, Morris said. Route additions proposed connect open riding areas either to each other or to the beach.
