Sopris Ranger District, Occupancy and Use Prohibitions

U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service
White River National Forest
Sopris Ranger District

Occupancy and Use Prohibitions
 

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 Sopris Ranger District, White River National Forest, Garfield, Pitkin and Gunnison Counties, 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 in the Described Areas. 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(e).
    

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 NFS lands:
 

1. As shown in Exhibit A:
   • Frying Pan River Corridor – All NFS lands within ¼ mile of County Road 4.
   • Ruedi Reservoir Described Area - All NFS lands within ¼ mile outside of the Mollie B, Little Mattie, Little Maud, and Ruedi Campgrounds.
   • Dearhamer Described Area - All NFS lands within ¼ mile outside of the Dearhamer Campground.
   • Elk Wallow Described Area - All NFS lands within ¼ mile outside of the Elk Wallow Campground.
   • Chapman Described Area - All NFS lands within ¼ mile outside of the Chapman Campground and Chapman Group Site.
   • Crystal River Corridor – All NFS lands within ¼ mile of Highway 133, beginning at the Forest boundary and the junction of County Road 3, and ending at the town of Marble, Colorado and ending at the top of McClure Pass at the Gunnison County Line.
   • Avalanche Described Area - All NFS lands within ¼ mile outside of the Avalanche Campground and within ¼ of Forest Service Road 310 beginning at Highway 133 and ending at the Avalanche Day Use Area.
   • Redstone Described Area - All NFS lands within ¼ mile outside of the Redstone Campground.
   • Bogan Flats Described Area - All NFS lands within ¼ mile outside of the Bogan Flats Campground.
   • Nast Lake Described Area- All NFS lands within ¼ mile of lake, and all NFS lands within ¼ mile of Forest Road 105.4P
   • Ski Area – Sunlight Mountain Resort - all NFS lands within Special Use Permit Area for the resort.
   • Babbish Gulch Described Area - All NFS lands within ¼ mile outside of the Babbish Gulch Trailhead.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this Order is to protect resources and Public Safety.

IMPLEMENTATION

1. This Order shall be in effect from September 1, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. through December 31, 2028 at 11:59 p.m. unless rescinded.
2. A map identifying the Described Areas is 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/r02/whiteriver/alerts
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 the same Described Areas.

/S/Brian Glaspell Signed 08/29/25

Forest Supervisor

White River National Forest