Don’t hike these Sierra National Forest trails. You could get fined — or jailed
Memorial Day weekend serves as the traditional kickoff to summer, and for a whole bunch of people that means heading to the mountains.
Just be careful in the Sierra National Forest, where camping and hiking in the wrong spot can get you kicked in jail, fined or both.
No kidding. And just in time for what’s expected to be an extremely busy year for summer recreation as the cooped-up masses, finally free of COVID-19 restraints, flock to popular outdoor destinations.
Rather than roll out a welcome mat, the US Forest Service official responsible for overseeing 1.3 million acres of public land on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada issued yet another closure order impacting dozens of trails and campgrounds in the High Sierra and Bass Lake ranger districts.
There’s no better place to beat the Fresno heat than along the picturesque shores of Huntington Lake, which sits at nearly 7,000 feet elevation and always gets a nice breeze. Just don’t plan on picnicking at the Bear Cove Day Use Area or hiking to Indian Pools or Nellie Lake. Doing so could result in a $5,000 fine ($10,000 for organizations), up to six months in jail, or both.
Kaiser Pass Road, the gateway to Edison and Florence lakes and the wilderness beyond, opened for the season Friday. But you might want to think twice about taking a dip in Doris Lake near Mono Hot Springs, one of the Sierra’s finest swimming holes, or hiking to Devil’s Bathtub. Instead of directions, that ranger you encounter on the way might offer a ticket.
Same goes for more than 100 other trails and 40 recreation sites listed under Forest Order No. 05-15-00-21-07, which is in effect through June 23.
Supervisor cites public safety, hazardous conditions
In explaining his rationale, Sierra National Forest Supervisor Dean Gould cited public safety “due the unprecedented number of hazard trees, erosion, and repair efforts to respective recreation sites, roads and trails.”
It’s true that in recent years, the forest has taken quite a wallop. The massive statewide tree die-off that occurred in 2016 hit the Sierra National Forest especially hard. That was followed by a year of significant snow and wind that resulted in widespread toppled trees. And, of course, there have been wildfires. None more devastating than last year’s Creek Fire, for which there’s still no official cause nor explanation for how the flames broke initial containment.
While both caution and personal responsibility are needed, the situation doesn’t warrant cordoning off so much public land with the stroke of a pen. It’s classic bureaucratic overreach, motivated by liability as much as safety, and practically unenforceable.
Among the trails on the closure list is the Edison Lake Trail, a 5-mile link between the internationally renowned Pacific Crest Trail/John Muir Trail and Vermilion Valley Resort, a common stopover for thru-hikers.
Does that mean rangers will be assigned to ticket every backpacker with the urge for a burger and a beer after days (or weeks) in the backcountry? There’s no way. So don’t make the threat.
Closures lead to more trash, increase wildfire threat
Despite low water levels in Sierra mountain lakes and creeks due to the drought, there will be a huge demand this summer for recreation opportunities. At Yosemite National Park, officials tamp down the crowds by requiring reservations for day-use visitors. At Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, as well as the Giant Sequoia National Monument, entrance fees are imposed and camping is limited to developed sites.
That isn’t the case in the Sierra National Forest, which doesn’t have entrance fees and allows dispersed camping except surrounding Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, Bass Lake, Redinger Lake and the Merced River Canyon.
There are a few public campgrounds in these areas that are not impacted by the closure. These are booked solid and have been for months. Leaving would-be campers no choice but to drag their trailers and roast their marshmallows someplace off the beaten path. Which inevitably leads to more trash (you’d be surprised how many people don’t grasp the concept of packing out everything you pack in) and increases the threat of wildfires.
Supervisor Gould could prevent this by ensuring more campgrounds, day-use sites and trails are safe enough to open — or by giving the public a little more credit. Instead he orders widespread closures, under punishment of fines and/or imprisonment, and pretends the issues he creates by doing so don’t exist.
After all, the forest service is supposed to be stewards of our public land. Not correctional officers.
This story was originally published May 28, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
