There are thousands of acres of Forest Service managed rangeland available for visitors to explore on horseback or on foot in the Beckwourth Ranger District. This is public land, your land, and it is open for you to visit. Most visitors are concerned about barbed wire fences, closed gates and locating rangeland managed by the Forest Service. Hopefully the following information will ease those concerns and help you access these wonderful areas.
How to determine Public Land from Private Property;
-
Use a map. The Plumas National Forest Map is available at forest visitor centers or on line at the National Forest Map Store . USGS Maps are also available on line.
-
Usually, boundaries of Forest Service managed property are posted. Sometimes, red colored blazes are cut into the bark of boundary trees.
-
Private property is usually posted as being private property. A short walk along a fence line can determine if what is inside the fence is posted.
-
When you’re not sure about boundaries, use GPS to find out exactly where you are on your map.
About Fences and Gates;
Okay, now you know the area is public land. Let’s talk about why there are fences and gates on public land. Just after National Forests were formed and placed under the U.S. Forest Service, a 1907 attempt by the Forest Service to levy fees for grazing permits was litigated to the Supreme Court. With favorable rulings, the Forest Service began issuing fee based grazing permits in 1917. The decision also gave stockmen the right to graze livestock on public lands. The grazing permit does not limit public access to public land.
How do you get in the fenced area? Though most barriers between grazing lots are natural features, oftentimes fences and gates are required when terrain and vegetation do not form sufficient barriers. Gates are almost always near roads, loading chutes and /or corrals. There is always the exception to that rule. For example, getting from one grazing allotment to the next may require riding the fenceline to find a gate.
-
If you find a gate closed, make sure you close it after entering or leaving.
-
If you find a gate open, make sure to leave it open after entering or leaving.
Some Notes on Rangeland;
-
If cattle are present, do not herd, harass or hassle them.
-
Before camping on rangeland, know how to do it.
-
Besides knowing about corralling or hobbling also know about campfire restrictions and permits.
-
Riding clubs have members who can be a wealth of information. High Mountain Riders is located in Quincy, CA and volunteer to help maintain the Meadowview Equestrian Campground.
-
-
Don’t expect to find a trail other than trails made by cattle and game.
-
Wet conditions may persist into late summer. The ground is usually drier and more firm on the boarders and near timber surrounding the range.
.
Directions
GPS Coordinates
Latitude 0° 0′ 0.0000″ S
Longitude 0° 0′ 0.0000″ W