PROPOSED ATV TRAIL SYSTEM (CITY OF BISHOP PRESS RELEASE)
The Eastern Sierra ATV Adventure Trails organization is proposing an ATV trail
system that will provide access from public lands, managed for ATV recreation, to
goods and services in our towns in Inyo County.
Specific ATV combined use routes utilizing county and city streets have been
recommended and are presently being reviewed. This is a pilot program to evaluate
the impact on Inyo County.
There will be an environmental assessment prepared and public comments will be
solicited at a future date before any ATV travel will be permitted on Inyo County
roads or city streets.
Any county road or city street that may become a travel way for ATV access shall
require a licensed, insured operator, obeying traffic laws and speed limits.
ATV travel on any public routes will be limited to daylight driving, maximum speed
35 mph.
ATV recreation within towns and cities is not a new concept. It is widely used in
Utah, Arizona, North Dakota, and West Virginia to name a few.
ATV use is a major recreation on Inyo County public lands.
CONTACTS:
Eastern Sierra ATV Adventure Trails
www.access.advocates.org
Dick Noles (760) 873-4519
Randy Gillespie (760) 920-1701
City of Bishop
www.ca-bishop.us
Keith Caldwell (760) 873-5863
David Grah (760) 873-8458
County of Inyo
www.inyocounty.us
Courtney Smith (760) 878-0207
Elaine Kabala (760) 878-0382
An EXCELLENT idea that will only bring more outdoor recreational opportunities to the Eastern Sierra! The City of Bishop, Inyo County, and ATV Adventure Trails are thinking outside the box on this one. Anyone who would oppose this proposal is either an extreme environmentalist or a curmudgeon. Awesome! I hope… Read more »
For all those doubting what I’m saying check out the below links. That means you Wayne. Time to go preorder your Rolls-Royce Wayne.
http://www.calcitypd.org/dirt.html
http://www.calcitypd.org/MAIL_ORDER_PERMIT_FORM_2013_SEASON.pdf
http://www.calcitypd.org/about.html
Now it’s $15 a year per OHV.
Sean….See “Bishop Native’s post a couple above yours….and “Justitia’s a few above that one…..Cal City….an open area with nothing more to offer than desert for ATV’ers isn’t the hiking trails,mountain bike trails,fishing and hunting and camping areas,wildlife areas,etc. that the Eastern Sierras’ provide for it’s tourists and vacationers.What might work… Read more »
It’s going to work great Wayne. The only constant is change. Try to roll with it. No one is going to build a motorcross track next to your house.
I absolutely support the OHV network. Thousands of acres in Inyo Co.are “designated road less wilderness” set aside for all the people who want the experience with out OHV noise. In allot of places that used to be open to all users. The Green sticker program is responsible for concentrating… Read more »
The overall impact, economically and from a quality of life perspective for locals, will be negative. Typically anglers, hikers, equestrians, come to the Eastern Sierra to enjoy the natural beauty and peace of the area. They will certainly be discouraged from coming if there is a lot more offroad presence.… Read more »
I knew the environmental extremists would come out of the woodwork on this one. Only about 5% of the time when I do an off-road trip do I see anyone. And most times it’s other off roaders. When I do run into non-off roaders it is usually within walking distance… Read more »
Looks like the atv trails program is going thru as planned, I went to one of their public meetings to hear for myself whats going on. It sounded pretty good to me, get it written into law that offroaders have a right to be here. From my understanding of the… Read more »
Bishop should be like California City and that’s the common future we should work towards, really?? Well, I wish someone from this group would provide some concrete, fact based estimates on what it will actually cost the county to support this designation. It smells to me like a huge tax… Read more »
Maybe the environmental groups that will SURELY oppose this thing should use Cal City as an area to base their opposition to it….that area….the Jawbone Canyon area….the area 15 miles or so east of Lancaster….the area south-west of Lancaster…and just about every other area the ATV’ers were welcomed into,but instead… Read more »
Ya know Wayne…..
Maybe that pound a day of coffee, is a bit more than is prudent.
Russ…Can’t drink coffee no more…and haven’t for quite a while…doctors orders….
Good call Wayne!
Caffeine may be legal, but it can be just as destructive as any other drug.
All this money is from the green sticker fee we pay.
California city funds it by requiring an additional $10 use permit. To ride within the city limits of California city you must have your green sticker and the $10 a year California city sticker. With the money they have generated they have built campgrounds with lighting shades and showers. They… Read more »
Sean….So your saying with that YEARLY $10.00 permit fee,the city is able to hire it’s own full-time police force just for the trail area,a full time paramedic staff,AND be able to fund campgrounds,complete with lighting and showers ?……WOW….must be the millions and millions of dollars those ATV’ers put into the… Read more »
California city is a municipality. They have their own police department. The California city police officers, fire and paramedics handle the trail areas of their city. They’re not just special trail police officers.. They are actual city police officers. They told me they can have 100,000 people riding within their… Read more »
Does anyone have information with regard to insurance requirements? Most of these vehicles are not insured directly, so what happens if an accident occurs between a insured car and a non insured off road vehicle? What if the rider does not even own a car or any form of insurance… Read more »
The City of Bishop press release says the proposal requires “insured drivers”.
BK
How are LEO’s going to tell if OHV’s have insurance or not.
It’s mandatory when you register a street legal vehicle, but not when you register a green sticker vehicle.
and yes Wayne I own severa OHV’s 😉
Insured drivers or insured vehicles? A permit like in Cal City could require insured vehicles but doesn’t necessarily mean the driver is insured.
Joe…This is just one reason why it ain’t gonna work…and hoping the environmental assessment mentioned…along with some other environmental groups I’m sure are ready and waiting to oppose and delay this “trail system” for as long as possible….In another Sierra Wave story,we have some posters complaining a lot about sobriety… Read more »
You are fabricating your own facts again Wayne! “too many powerful environmental groups will kill it from ever happening…” Over the last few years, I have attended many public meetings, inter-agency get togethers, and other group discussions regarding this trail system. I don’t remember ever seeing you at one of… Read more »
Russ….I’ve seen you too,usually on my way back from working in the Alabamas….and have to admit,never once have you,yourself caused me anytype of problem….but can’t count the times I’ve turned onto Movie Road and spent more time picking up trash than I do hiking and walking around the rocks…..and reported… Read more »
“When?” Wayne, that point was past decades ago. As our nearest year round neighbors are the campground, which we can watch 24/7 from our kitchen or living room, we have a good idea of how many “good” riders there are, vs “bad” riders. From my count, starting in 1977, the… Read more »
They have sobriety check points at Dove Springs and Cal City.. OHV’ers are use to it already.
I luv it. I can’t wait to see people out enjoying themselves. I hope the route comes down my street!!! Thanks Mr. Noles!
This is the death knell for quiet contemplation of the outdoors – and for undisturbed beauty. It is absolutely shocking how many illegal “trails” snake their ugly paths up Inyo and White Ranges, scarring the mountains for generations and leading to erosion. If the incessant political drumbeat of the motorized… Read more »
Love it! Hope it happens. I love riding trails around Bishop and the Owens Valley. California City has huge numbers of visitors for their MX park (up to 100,000 people on peak weekends according to one of the cops who works for Cal City). Maybe some of that biz will… Read more »
sean….yeah.love it…….really looking forward to a bunch of rowdy,drunk ATV’ers riding around these proposed “trails” in,around and through the towns….disobeying the rules and speed limits that plan to be set…taxing Law Enforcement trying to control the situations…unlicensed,unsupervised,uninsured teen-agers doing as they please….yep….gonna be great…..glad it will be a LONG while… Read more »
Oh and is that so much worse than the loud drunk wine snobs just finishing up from a wine tasting and loudly discussing the most recent play They attended while stumbling to their cars and driving home drunk? Or is it any worse than loud drunk people leaving any concerts… Read more »