Environmental Assessment

AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES CHAPTER 3
extreme fire conditions during the same period as EFR. There is little variation in terrain and when open,
riding conditions are often poor with sandy, dusty soils and hot temperatures. This area gets little use.
OHV use on BLM managed lands east of the planning area is limited to existing roads and trails. From
the planning area, access to these lands often requires access through adjacent private lands. Neither the
Forest Service nor the BLM has an easement across those private lands.
There is one designated class II OHV area located within the planning area, Ground Hog Rock Crawl/
Play Area. Class II OHVs, OHVs greater than 50 inches in width that also includes Jeeps, 4x4, and other
similar vehicles, are currently not permitted on trails in the EFR system. They are also prohibited from
cross-country travel within the trail system area. Street legal class II OHVs are allowed on all open forest
system roads. Non-street legal class II OHVs are allowed on maintenance level 1 and 2 roads.
Much of the land managed by the Deschutes National Forest is open to motorized cross-country travel,
including travel by OHVs. This includes the approximately 28,647 acres of the planning area outside of
the EFR trail system area. OHV use follows state law with regards to travel on roads. Under Oregon
State law, roads that are not maintained for passenger cars are the only roads that non-street legal OHVs
can legally ride on unless specifically designated as a shared use road. On lands managed by the
Deschutes National Forest, this includes maintenance level 1 and 2 roads only. Street legal OHVs may
legally travel all system roads if registered and licensed by the State of Oregon. This means that all
classes of non-street legal OHVs are restricted to maintenance level 1 and 2 roads; street legal OHVs
(classes II and III) are permitted to drive all open system roads.
There are an estimated 115 dispersed sites within the planning area boundaries. Many started as hunting
camps and continue to be used as such. They also are utilized by OHV riders and other recreationists. At
least some of these camps are located within or adjacent to the EFR trail system and have legal OHV
access to the trail system. The Sand Springs Campground is also located within the boundaries of the
EFR system. It has trail access, but is not considered an OHV campground. It is not developed; there are
no camp pads or roads.
There are an unknown number of non-designated trails and roads in the planning area. The best estimate,
based on local knowledge and photo-interpretation from aerial photos and orthophotos, is that there are a
minimum of 29 miles of non-designated routes within the planning area. This is at best a conservative
estimate as many routes are too narrow to be visible on aerial or orthophotos. Additionally, new routes
continue to appear each year. Within the EFR system, these routes are illegal and are closed to use as
soon as possible. The majority of existing non-designated routes are located outside of the EFR area.
Figures 3-7 through 3-9 illustrate unauthorized trails within the EFR trail system area. Figures 3-10
through 3-13 show existing non-designated trails located outside of the EFR system area, but within the
boundaries of the planning area. These sites include locations on Pine Mountain, Mahogany Butte, and in
the Sand Springs area.
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