You described what I regard as a very attractive idea. Surely an
existing fire road can support such passive trail use from horsemen,
hikers, and mountain bikers -- with appropriate trail usage rules, of
course. You said that the campgrounds would be on already-impacted
areas -- so no new area would have to be cleared. The large amount of
land, 2,068 acres, is a good size to accommodate these types of
recreation. You might also look into the possibilities under the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as the fire roads along a flat
canyon floor might offer opportunities for the disabled.
This would be an excellent chance for the local equestrian groups to
volunteer help (financial and labor) in setting up horse-related
amenities such as hitching rails, water troughs, staging areas for rigs,
and maintenance of specified trails or staging areas.
About hunting. I am not anti-gun hunting -- subject to proper
management and licensing. Your message didn't say what animals are
hunted, but assuming it's deer, then a compromise would be to post and
close the area for the two months of deer hunting season. We have
similar workable situations where I live; i.e., the public is permitted
to use the fire trails on a neighboring 960-acre grazing ranch, but
during deer season the signs go up on the gates and there has never been
any problem in the 42 years we have lived here.
I support your efforts to open up this canyon. Horseback riding
poses no threat to wildlife nor to the environment. Mountain bicyclists
need rules for speed limits and conduct around blind corners, but on
fire roads which are vehicular-sized in width, we can all share.
You may use this letter any way you see fit. Connie Berto, Trails
Chair Emeritus, American Endurance Ride Conference.