This is my post from my experience at the Mesa TNF meeting. Please keep in mind that although one comment can keep a trail open, there are probably hundreds of comments being written by "tree huggers" trying to shut these trails down.

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Ok so here goes what I discovered and my experience:

#1: This isn't a crisis situation like is being spread around the net. The maps/plan they have right now are a PROPOSAL. This is NOT the final word on things.
#2: The bulldog recreation area is NOT being closed down. Any area on their maps with a purple diagonal line (not the x lines) is designated a current OHV area. What I was told is that they are PROPOSING the Coves area to be a permit/gate similar to the way Bulldog is being run right now. I personally think this is a fantastic idea as the rif/raf around the Coves has gotten way out of hand.
#3: We have until December 4th to submit out comments on their PROPOSED trail plan. What I was told by numerous Rangers is that if you want a trail to stay open, and you use it for recreation you NEED to submit a comment about it. Now this is the important part so read carefully!!

When you submit a comment about a trail make sure you are VERY specific. You can't write in that you want Willow Springs to stay open because you like it. That's not specific enough. Wording is EVERYTHING!! I'll use Willow Springs as an example on how to write in a comment:
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I would like the Willow Springs trail to stay open for the following reasons. I use this trail for recreation in a number of ways which include but are not limited to traveling in an off highway vehicle, hiking, and prospecting. Willow Springs offers off highway benefits that I can not find in any other surrounding trails because of the difficulty in safely and responsibly traversing the trail. I enjoy hiking there because the scenery is unique to that area. I can not enjoy the same view of the Superstition Mountains as I do from that trail on any other trail in the area. I like to prospect the area as a means of relaxation and recreation. The Willow Springs wash has a long standing history of being a valuable mineral producing wash. I always take great care when traveling this area to not only leave it cleaner than I found it, but minimize my impact on the area and keep out invasive species by washing my vehicle immediately before and immediately after using the trail. There is only one entrance/exit to this trail so I would like that entrance/exit to remain accessible by the public so we can recreate on this trail.
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Notice some things in my wording. You have to remember that every comment you write will be evaluated by the Forest Service and hold a GREAT DEAL OF MERIT! If you write in that you like flying down the wash doing 100mph in your blinged out quad they are probably going to deny your request. You have to convey that we are using the trail for recreation (which is a RIGHT as an American), we are doing what we can to minimize impact on the terrain, that the trail provides something you can not get on another trail 1/4 mile away, etc. If there are 5 trails leading to the same place, all with the same basic view/experience then we do not need all 5 of those trails and are adversely impacting the environment.

#4: EVERY comment sent in is evaluated on a case by case basis! You don't need 1,000 comments to keep a trail open, just one that holds enough merit. If you have a legit reason to keep the trail open, then it will probably remain open. If you do not, or no-one writes in to propose the trail stays open, then they will close it. This is only in reference to trails on the map with either a purple dashed line or a red dashed line. Trails with a dark grey line dashed with a small circle are proposed NON-MOTORIZED trails. If a trail you wheel/bike/quad is identified with this line and you want to keep it open to motorized travel then please write a comment about it!

#5: Desert Tortoises are NOT classified as an endangered species, YET. They are proposing to classify them as such but it has not happened yet.

#6: Some trails will be closed either permanently or during certain periods of the year because of their proximity to endangered wildlife. IE some of the trails North of Cave Creek are closed during part of the year because of the Bald Eagle population. This is understandable and something we should respect.

#7: The time line for this whole process was explained to me by a few people last night. In January they start an environmental assessment of the proposed plan. This is why it is important to get your comments in BEFORE DEC 4TH! The Rangers have spent the last 4 years out in the field traveling these trails. They know what is out there and what the areas are like. From January until some time in the Spring they will be reviewing our comments and comparing them to their notes on the trails. If we have a valid reason for keeping the trail open and it does not interfere with their environmental assessment they will change the proposed plan. This is why it is so important for you to be very careful what you write in your comments! After the Spring, hopefully by summer (their words) they will release to the public their final proposal. We will have 30 DAYS BY LAW after the release of this final proposal to submit comments about the trails. They will then have to re-evaluate the areas being commented on and make a final map.

#8: We have a right to appeal their environmental assessment being done starting in Jan. It will be either an outside contractor or their internal rangers doing the assessment. IMO we would be well served to appeal this assessment and request a neutral 3rd party evaluate the area again. This could work in our favor, and it could also backfire.

#9: What about adding trails after the final plan is put into place? I found out that they will be doing a yearly re-evaluation of the plan. In some instances trails will be opened or re-opened. In other cases trails will be closed. This plan is not the end of trails as we know it. If you find a trail after the plan has been put into place you can submit a comment to have it added to the system. It will work in the same way this comment period is working now.

#10: We need to be thinking of everyone when requesting trails be opened or closed. This could be a good time for us to separate Jeep trails from Quad/Bike trails. If you think a trail, or an area of a trail is unsafe for both Jeep/OHV travel and Quad/Dirtbike travel then say so. Maybe there is a way for both groups to use the area without fear of wrecking into each other. I know this is a problem at the coves and I'd love to see a trail system that keeps all of us safe.

#11: If a trail isn't on the map it's because they are not aware of it. That does not mean that after the final map is put into place you can travel that trail without fear of fines/etc.

I believe that is most of what I learned last night. Some other things I realized were that the FS doesn't hate us. They are responsible for managing these lands but MOTORIZED TRAVEL is a VALID use of those lands! We have a RIGHT to be there. They want to hear from us about what he want. This isn't a "shut em all out" kinda situation. They are trying to find a balance between us using these trails for recreation and minimizing the environmental impact so the areas are there for us in the future. What fun would Bulldog be if it was all dust? It wouldn't. These are things to think about when writing in comments.

We also need to request that the FS communicates better with the BLM and STL. There are trails that run across both or all 3 lands and the maps are different. They know there are mistakes in the maps too, so point that out!

Use some common sense when writing in comments. Don't be a $& about it or your comment will not be taken seriously. Try to think about the big picture and everyone else when writing your comments. Jeepers/Wheelers are not the only people who rightfully use these lands, and we need to be respectful of that.

I think I've covered it all. I'd also like to point out that when you are talking about "driving" a trail make sure you say "Travel", not "drive". Driving is technically being paid for a service. Traveling, either by motor vehicle or other methods, is a right of every citizen of the USA. Don't write in that you are "off-roading". Write in that you would like to travel an off highway area in your motorized vehicle. These small wording changes can make a big difference! Be very specific like I said before. Write why you like this or that trail. What makes it unique? Always make sure you use the area for RECREATION. This will go a long ways in keeping our trails open!!

Hope that helps.

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Randy, Apache Junction, Arizona
04 Liberty
Blown motor and extensive body damage.

Good info!! Thanks for taking the time...but remember, we all have to also practice what we preach, staying on trails and not cutting our own paths.

You might want to consider moving this to the "Land Use, Trail Closure, and Legislative Issues" forum. It applies to everyone, not just Arizona.

One other point... driving has never been a right... it's a privilege, at least it was the last time I saw a driver's handbook. The point I'm making here is... when writing letters, you have to have your facts straight too, or they will be dismissed as the author doesn't know what he's talking about.

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'06 Jeep KJ Sport... w/some stuff
'08 Jeep JK X... w/more stuff

It's an AZ LOST JEEPS thing....
other folks don't understand!!

Good write up Randy, but I think its either not in there, or I just missed it: Where would we be sending the letters? Is this an actual written letter we have to send somewhere specific, ie Mesa district of the TNF; or is this something we can do by e-mail?

I would absolutely send in a letter, but I have very infrequently been over there, only to kayak the lakes. I have never used any trails for off highway travel. I tried to look at some of the maps, but I really had no idea what I was looking at, and the quality of the maps kinda sucked. So, is there any particular trail that is in danger that needs a letter written? I would write one for whatever trail.

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Get Out. Eject. Escape from the prison planet.