Access To Western States Trail Closed?

July 22 2016

Road closure will impact your access to Western States Trail and White Oak Flat. You can make a difference if attend the public meeting and write/email these government officials.

-Regarding the proposed closure of McKeon Ponderosa Rd. which would limit public access to White Oak Flat and the Western States Pioneer Express National Recreation Trail (WST): The Foresthill Forum will be hearing this issue August 1, 2016, 7PM at 24601 Harrison St. Foresthill. It is imperative that interested parties show up, write letters and voice their concerns re the loss of the public access to this trail. For the agenda of the Forum and additional information go to Placer County website: http://www.placer.ca.gov/ForesthillForumMAC

From one of the Loomis Basin Horsemen's Association members:

"Access to White Oak Flat (BLM/BOR land) and ASRA Gate 102 to Francisco's and beyond has become a complex issue. There are a few homeowners towards the end of McKeon Ponderosa Way who have wanted for years to have a gated community, for various reasons.

In 2002, when this issue came up, County Public Works clearly informed everyone that public use of their end of the road could not be denied. However, one of those homeowners recently discovered an old document from the County apparently abandoning that portion of the road in the late 1980's. He has put up private road signs and wants to put in a gate. Now the County appears to be looking for BLM/ASRA to step up and state it is against their wishes for the public to be denied access to these long-used public lands.

Thus everyone needs to contact these public agencies if historic White Oak Flat and the trails leading out from McKeon Ponderosa Way are to be protected for all to use! We need a dedicated public easement to the White Oak Flat staging area! Let us see all of our public agencies work together to protect the public's interest in one of Foresthill's best assets, its recreational trails! Please contact these people listed below and help protect this historic area.

Supervisor Montgomery: JMontgomery@placer.ca.gov
Michael Schneider, ASRA Superintendent: michael.schneider@parks.ca.gov
Jeff Horn, Regional Manager of BLM: jhorn@blm.gov