Aspen Ranger District, Occupancy and Use

Associated Documents

Forest Order

PROHIBITIONS 

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a), the following are prohibited on the National Forest System (NFS) lands in the Aspen Ranger District, White River National Forest, described below and shown on the attached map incorporated into this Order as Exhibit A (the “Described Areas”): 

1. Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire except in campgrounds and dispersed camp sites designated and provided by the Forest Service. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(a) 

2. Camping, except in campgrounds and dispersed campsites designated and provided by the Forest Service. 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(e) 

3. Possessing a dog, except if it is on a leash six feet or less in length. 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(s) 

EXEMPTIONS 

Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order: 

1. Any Federal, State, or Local Officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty. 

DESCRIBED AREAS 

The Described Areas include the following: 

• Maroon Valley Corridor – All NFS lands within ¼ mile of Pitkin County Road 13 beginning at the Forest boundary and ending at Maroon Lake. 
• Castle Creek Road Corridor – All NFS lands within ¼ mile of Pitkin County Road 15 beginning at the Forest boundary and ending at its junction with NFS Road (NFSR) 102 and within ¼ mile of NFSR 103 beginning at the junction with Pitkin County Road 15 and ending at the Pearl Pass Trailhead. 
• Colorado Highway 82 Corridor – All NFS lands within ¼ mile of Colorado Highway Order Number: # UFC-WRNF-2025-01 82 beginning at the Difficult Picnic Area and ending at Independence Pass Summit. 
• Lincoln Creek Corridor – All NFS lands within ¼ mile of Pitkin County Road 23 beginning at its junction with Colorado Highway 82 and ending at the Portal Campground. 
• New York Road Corridor – All NFS lands within ¼ mile of NFSR 2182 beginning at the New York Trailhead and ending at the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness boundary. 
• Hunter Creek Corridor – All NFS lands within ¼ mile of NFST 1992, Hunter Creek Trail, beginning at Hunter Creek Trailhead and ending at the intersection with NFST 2172.
 • New York Trail NFST 2182 - Along the New York Trail from the Trailhead on County Road 23 to the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness boundary. 
• Ashcroft Townsite – All NFS lands within the Ashcroft Townsite in Sections 29, 30, 31, and 32, T.11S, R84W. 

PURPOSE 

The purpose of this Order is to protect natural resources and public safety. 

IMPLEMENTATION 

1. This Order shall be in effect from January 1, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. through December 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m., unless rescinded. 

2. A map identifying the Described Areas are attached and made part of this Order as Exhibit A. For a digital version of this Order and Exhibit A, go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/wrnf/alerts-notices. 

3. Unless otherwise expressly defined in this Order, the terms used in this Order are defined by the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture, 36 C.F.R. Chapter II, Parts 200-299. If there are terms in this Order that are not expressly defined in the Order or 36 C.F.R. Chapter II, Parts 200-299, their meaning shall be determined by their plain language definitions. 

4. A violation of the above prohibitions is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. 16 U.S.C. § 551; 18 U.S.C. §§ 3559, 3571, and 3581. 5. Contact the White River National Forest Supervisor’s Office, at (970) 945-2521, for more information about this Order. 

6. This Order supersedes any previous Orders prohibiting the same or similar acts in Order Number: # UFC-WRNF-2025-01 the same Described Areas.

Signed and issued on December 4, 2024

Scott Fitzwilliams
Forest Supervisor
White River National Forest

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