Ochoco National Forest pulls the plug on disputed Lemon Gulch Trails Project

(Update: Adding video, with reaction)

Original proposal that prompted 'Don't Bend Prineville' protest had been scaled back

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Ochoco National Forest has issued a final Environmental Assessment and identified a Preferred Alternative for the Lemon Gulch Trails Project. However, the Deciding Official, District Ranger Slater Turner, has chosen to withdraw the project from consideration, citing the "social divisions" the proposal generated.

This action indefinitely suspends the planning process for the proposed mountain bike trail system 20 miles east of Prineville. The Forest said it has no plans to issue a Draft Decision, which would typically be the next step in the planning process.

“We are proud of the environmental analysis that has been completed to this point for the Lemon Gulch Trails project and commend our partners at Ochoco Trails for working to increase non-motorized trail access on the Forest,” said Slater Turner, District Ranger for the Lookout Mountain Ranger District.

“Although the project is broadly supported in Central Oregon, there are also individuals who have felt left out of the planning process, which has led to social divisions in our communities and that is not an acceptable outcome for us,” said Turner.

“We believe the National Forest is a place to unify our communities around shared values. Therefore, I will not be issuing a Decision on this project and will instead look for opportunities in the future to have a broader community conversation about non-motorized trails on the Forest. For now, we will be turning our focus to other priority work.”

The priority work includes wildfire mitigation in the Wildfire Crisis Strategy landscape on the Crooked River National Grassland and the designation of the Corral Flats Equestrian Trail System on the Forest.

A draft EA for the Lemon Gulch was released on Nov. 21, 2022 that analyzed and compared five action alternatives ranging from 19-52 miles of trail and included a “no action” alternative. 

Last fall's draft assessment, released after criticism arose, listed a preferred alternative of 27 1/2 miles of non-motorized trail, a much smaller footprint than the original proposal.

A citizen group called "Don't Bend Prineville" opposed the original, 52-mile proposal, objecting to the trails density and three proposed 40-vehicle parking areas in "a fragile, core area for deer and elk … at the expense of hikers horseback riders, naturalists, hunters and cattle grazing."

The final EA, including the Preferred Alternative, can be viewed here: https://tinyurl.com/2awnv5jd

The project was originally released to the public in a scoping document in March 2021 after being submitted as part of a larger Forest-wide proposal by Ochoco Trails, a grassroots group of non-motorized trail users interested in expanding trail access on the forest.

To learn more about project planning on the Forest, visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/ochoco/landmanagement/projects