Enjoying your National Forests in a safe and savvy manner

Release Date: Jun 7, 2019

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho (June 7, 2019) – As summer arrives and we seek outdoor adventures, the Forest Service wants to share some reminders to help everyone enjoy their national forests in a safe and savvy manner. Forest officials encourage sharing this information with teenagers and young adults who may not be aware of this information.

• Visitors to the forest are asked to always be very careful with fire. If camping, bring a shovel and a bucket for extinguishing your campfire. Never leave a campfire unattended, and before leaving your campsite, douse the fire with water, stir, and check the campfire for heat with a bare hand. ALL fires must be DEAD OUT before leaving the site.

• The Forest Service provides free motor vehicle use maps (MVUM) online and at each ranger district that show authorized routes (roads and trails) for motorized travel. It is important to know that driving a motorized vehicle (truck, car, OHV, etc.) off of designated routes, including cross-country travel and mud-bogging, causes resource damage and is not authorized. As an example, the Canfield Mountain trail system which was designed for motorized trail bikes and bicycles is seeing a significant increase in resource damage caused by unauthorized user-created trails and cross-country travel. It is the user’s responsibility to know and abide by regulations relating to motor vehicle travel and avoid causing or increasing resource damage.

• Recreating in burned areas can provide a unique look at the beneficial effects of fire on the landscape as nutrients are recycled into the soil allowing new vegetation to thrive in these ecosystems. There can also be potential hazards in these areas and visitors should avoid walking near burned trees as snags and limbs can easily dislodge and stump holes and burned root systems, which may be difficult to spot, can lead to a fall.

• Always be aware of your surroundings while in the forest. Watch out for wildlife and be sure to give them plenty of space. Learn more about the type of wildlife you may encounter by visiting our online Learning Center.

• Camping is a wonderful time to make memories and enjoy the national forest. Please abide by the 14-day stay limit and leave behind a clean camp. Store food in hard-sided vehicles or bear-proof containers. The Bonners Ferry, Priest Lake, and portions of the Sandpoint Ranger District all have food storage requirements in place. For more information, read the Forest’s Food Storage Order.

• Fireworks, including the possession of fireworks, are prohibited on National Forest System lands, regardless of weather conditions or holidays. Exploding targets and other pyrotechnic devices are also prohibited on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Shooting live trees or leaving your “shooting” trash is also not allowed.

The Idaho Panhandle National Forests offers 2.5 million acres and a rich history to link families and forest. Please do your part, and help remind others, to recreate in safe and savvy manner so that we can all enjoy the National Forest. For more information on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ipnf/home.

 

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