MOTHER LODE TRAILS

Impact of Senate Reconciliation Bill on Western States Trail

7/9/2025

From Gold Country Media:
Jul 09, 2025 7:00 AM
The map above indicates areas (in red) where the current Western States Trail crosses over BLM or Tahoe National Forest land proposed to be for sale. In total nearly 30% of the WST is impacted; meaning if the land is sold to an entity who no longer grants an easement for the trail, the trail will either be closed or significantly rerouted.

The History Expeditions webpage has important news regarding threats to the preservation efforts of the Western States Trail at https://historyexp.org/western-states-trail/ and also created the following link with the latest news on the impact of the recent U.S. Senate Reconciliation Bill and how it might impact this and future generations of Western States Trail users at https://historyexp.org/impact-senate-reconciliation-bill/.

Threat to the Western States Trail: Trump's Sovereign Wealth Fund and Public Land Sales Initiative
Read here about the imminent threat to the Western States Trail and what you can do to help protect and preserve this Sierra and American West gem.

SAVE THE WESTERN STATES TRAIL PETITION
To sign the Save the Western States Trail petition, go to:
https://historyexp.org/western-states-trail/

Pioneer Trail reroutes near White Cloud are complete and open to public use

7/4/2025

Update on public access and needed reroutes of the Pioneer Trail
The construction of 1.2 miles of trail reroutes east of Tahoe National Forest’s White Cloud Campground are now complete, restoring connectivity of approximately 15 miles of the Pioneer Trail between Lowell Hill and the Harmony Ridge Market.

The Pioneer Trail is a multi use, non-motorized, cross-country trail. It is over 20 miles long and goes from the Harmony Ridge Market to near Spaulding Lake where it ties into the Spaulding Lake Trail. Due to Caltrans’ Highway 20 Omega Curves Project, sections of the trail have been impacted by road construction. The remaining 2.3 miles of reroutes to reconnect the trail in the Lowell Hill area are planned to be completed by Fall 2026.

The Pioneer Trail is also a part of the planned Pines to Mines Trail, which once constructed, will span 72 miles and connect the communities of Truckee and Nevada City.

CLICK HERE to see the complete press release from Tahoe National Forest.

Tahoe National Forest fire restrictions to begin June 30

6/24/2025

Release Date: June 24th, 2025
Tahoe National Forest plans to enter Stage 1 fire restrictions beginning June 30 due to increasing wildfire risk. Under these restrictions, campfires are still permitted in provided fire rings or charcoal grills within Tahoe National Forest’s developed campgrounds and day-use sites, but not outside of those areas. Smoking and operating internal combustion engines off roads or trails is also restricted except in limited circumstances outlined below.

“Due to increasing temperatures, dry vegetation and low humidity, it is critical that individuals planning to recreate on the forest take precautions when it comes to preventing wildfires,” said Tahoe National Forest Fire Management Officer Kyle Jacobson. “Last season, Tahoe National Forest experienced the highest number of wildfire starts out of all other national forests in Northern California. With public safety top of mind, fire restrictions is just one strategy we are implementing to help prevent wildfire ignitions on the forest.”

Tahoe National Forest typically implements fire restrictions over several stages, becoming more restrictive as each stage progresses. Increasing restrictions is informed by predicted weather, fuel moisture, fire activity levels and available fire suppression resources.

Under Stage 1 restrictions, the following activities are prohibited June 30 through Oct. 31, 2025:

Building or maintaining a fire, campfire or charcoal briquette fire outside of provided fire rings or charcoal grills within designated developed campgrounds and picnic areas.
Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a designated campground or recreation area, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.
Operating an internal combustion engine off paved, gravel or dirt National Forest System roads and trails, except within the Prosser Pits Developed Off-Highway Vehicle Area and boats on a water surface.

Under these restrictions, individuals with a valid campfire permit are still welcome to use portable cooking stoves, propane campfires or lanterns in an area at least three feet from any flammable materials. The portable device must only burn gas, kerosene, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel and have a shut-off valve. Campfire permits are available online at permit.preventwildfiresca.org or in-person at Tahoe National Forest Visitors Centers.

Help protect our forests, firefighters and communities by following these principles when out on forested lands:

Campfires: Attend your campfire at all times. Ensure your fire is completely extinguished—drown with water (NOT dirt), stir with your shovel, drown again and feel for any heat using the back of your hand. Continue this process until no heat remains.
Stoves: If using pressurized or bottled liquid fuel stoves, lanterns, or heating devices with a valid California Campfire Permit, use in barren areas with at least three feet of clearance from grasses and other debris that may catch fire. Prevent stoves from tipping.
Vehicles: When traveling, ensure your chains are properly connected. The hot underside of the vehicle and dragging chains can start a fire. Stick to driving on designated roads and trails and be careful to not park your car or OHV in tall, dry, vegetation, including grass.
Spark Arrestors: Ensure that all internal or external combustion engines have a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order.
Smoking: Extinguish all smoking materials dead out on bare soil. Pack out all cigarette butts and filters.
Fireworks: Fireworks are prohibited on all national forests year-round, leave them and all other pyrotechnic devices at home.

Contact Information: Lauren Faulkenberry 530-559-9010 [email protected]
Last updated June 24th, 2025

Public Lands For Sale: Map Shows the Extent of Land on the Auction Block

6/23/2025

Last week, the Senate released text of a major spending package, which included a proposal to sell off about 3 million acres of public land. Outdoor Alliance released a map showing that nearly 300 million acres of public lands could be open for these proposed sales, an area that includes nearly 100,000 miles of trails, more than 45,000 climbing routes and boulder problems, and 3,405 river miles across the West.

As written, the Senate’s bill would require the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to sell at least 3.3 million acres of all National Forest and BLM lands. And unlike past proposals, which largely limited sales to lands already identified for disposal, the Senate’s bill puts virtually any multiple-use Forest Service or BLM land on the table, including places vital for outdoor recreation. While Wilderness, National Parks, and other protective designations (as well as areas with existing rights like mining claims) are excluded from potential sales, there are virtually no other safeguards on what land can be sold or for what purpose.

Outdoor Alliance’s GIS Lab produced a map that shows the area that could be opened up for sale.
Click here to see the interactive MAP.

The map shows recreation assets at risk all across the West, including much of the Teton National Forest and the Absaroka range in Wyoming; Mount Hood’s 44 Trails network; the headwaters of the Little White Salmon; the Sandy Ridge trail system; the South Fork Payette River; the South Salmon and huge swaths of the Sawtooths in Idaho; the Trinity Alps and the Stanislaus National Forest in California; the Juniper Mountains in Arizona; Lunch Loops outside Grand Junction, Colorado; and Hartman Rocks outside Gunnison, Colorado; as well as many more.

The bill is moving quickly through Congress and it is vital that the outdoor recreation community speaks up now to stop public lands sales from being included. Save Public Lands:

Take Action: Stop the Senate’s Plan to Sell Off Public Lands
The Senate just released its version of a massive spending bill—and it includes a proposal to sell off more than 3 million acres of public lands. The bill also prioritizes drilling and logging, slashes environmental safeguards, and lets developers bypass public input.

Just a few weeks ago, the outdoor community helped remove 500,000 acres of land sales from the House version of this bill. Now the Senate is back with an even more extreme version—and we need your voice to stop it. Here are the maps of the nearly 300,000,000 acres of lands that could be open for these proposed sales.

You can use the easy-action form below to write your Senators about how this package will affect the outdoors. Lawmakers need to hear that public lands should be managed for people and the future, not sold off for tax cuts or given away to developers.

Help protect the public lands you love. Send a message to your Senators today. Go here:
https://www.outdooralliance.org/blog/2025/6/16/33millionacres-publicland-selloffs-map

Pioneer Trail Reroute Segment Expected To Be Open By July

6/16/2025

From Nevada County Recreation E-News:
June 16, 2025
For the past six weeks, a trail crew from Tahoe National Forest's Yuba River Ranger District has been hard at work constructing 1.2 miles of a reroute of the Pioneer Trail near White Cloud that is expected to be open by July. (Photo credit: Orion Kroeger)

“Once these are complete this will mean contiguous travel will be possible on the Pioneer Trail from the Harmony Ridge Market to the Lowell Hill area for the first time since Highway 20 construction impacted sections of the trail,” said John Kenney, West Zone Trails Manager for the Tahoe National Forest.

Caltrans roadwork on Highway 20 known as the “Omega Curves” cut off the Pioneer Trail in multiple locations, requiring a new alignment in impacted areas in order to restore continuity and public access. The Pioneer Trail is an important segment of the future Pines to Mines Trail, providing cyclists, pedestrians and equestrians a multi-use trail, connecting the towns of Truckee and Nevada City. This reroute east of White Cloud Campground is the first of two phases of Pioneer Trail reroutes the trail crew will construct. The second phase includes about 2.3 miles of reroutes that still need to be constructed in the Lowell Hill Area.

“It opens quite a bit more. It still won’t be open for the full length of the Pioneer Trail but it does extend the amount of trail that people can access for the time being,” Kenney said. He is hopeful the trail crew can begin construction on the Lowell Hill reroutes, east of Burlington OHV area off of Highway 20 this Fall and early next year.

“We’re excited. We’re chipping away at it and were stoked to get it open,” said Kenney.

Mother Lode Trails are adding and updating the LINKS to trails and camps - need your help

6/8/2025

We are updating the Mother Lode Trails LINKS for trails and camps. Please let us know if you have any new maps or reviews for this page that we can link to or additional ones you would like us to add.
Just email us HERE.

To see what is there now, click on the LINKS tab above and scroll to Federal, State, Parks, Camps and Trails links. Here is the direct link:
https://www.motherlodetrails.org/federal-state-county-districts-parks--trails.html

National Trails Day is Saturday, June 7, 2025

6/6/2025

National Trails Day® is your chance to get outdoors, connect with your community, and give back to the trails you love. This year, we’re empowering everyone to become trail stewards on any trail, anywhere.Join American Hiking in celebrating our shared passion for the outdoors while inspiring your community to leave the trails better than we found them. Together, we can make a lasting impact!
Find an Event near you:
https://americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/find-an-event/

For all information on the National Trails Day, CLICK HERE.

June is Bear Yuba Land Trust 11th Annual 'Celebration of Trails' Month

6/1/2025

BYLT 11th Annual Celebration of Trails Month
Trail users of all ages and abilities are invited to join BYLT in an exploration of local trails throughout the month of June! This year’s Celebration of Trails includes the return of the super popular Summer Star Hike Challenge where folks search out stars across 20 trails and a chance to win raffle prizes (pre-registration required); Art in Nature Installations with site-specific artworks created by local artists, along with artist-led Walk & Talks; an outdoor, nature-inspired Dance Performance with Embodiment Dance Collective; a kick-off Happy Hour with Three Forks Bakery & Brewing Co. featuring the limited release of Celebration of Trails Pale Ale; and Trail Mix Celebration of Trails edition, where we’ll bring the community together for a trail project. And because it isn’t a celebration without a party, Celebration of Trails Month culminates on Saturday, June 28 with a special Hike for the Stars Challenge and a FREE Street Party along Commercial Street in downtown Nevada City, with live music from Jessica Malone, nature activities, awards, raffles, and more!

CLICK HERE for complete list of events and more information

Sheep arrive at Cronan & Magnolia Ranch to graze on invasive plants and reduce wildfire threat

5/31/2025

EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. – A flock of nearly 1,100 sheep have arrived at the Bureau of Land Management’s Cronan Ranch, and a flock of nearly 800 sheep will soon arrive at Magnolia Ranch, to graze invasive weeds and reduce wildfire threat. Sheep herders will manage the flocks, moving them across the grassy slopes and meadows with assistance from herding dogs and livestock protection dogs. The sheep will be grazing behind temporary fencing to allow the sheep herder to keep the sheep in an area long enough to have the vegetation uniformly grazed and/or trampled down.

“We’ve used sheep to manage invasive weeds like yellow starthistle and medusahead at Cronan Ranch for ten years now, and at Magnolia Ranch for the past three. These weeds push out native plants and harm vegetation diversity,” said BLM Mother Lode Field Manager Jeff Horn. “The sheep will remain at Cronan Ranch through August and at Magnolia Ranch through July.”

Vegetation monitoring has shown a marked decrease in yellow starthistle and a notable decrease in medusahead. These invasive weeds leave behind dense patches of thatch, or dead vegetation, which can contribute to wildfire spread. Grazing has also dramatically decreased the thatch, reducing fuel loading and the risk of wildfire. In addition, native species diversity has increased, and wildflowers are blooming across the recreation area this spring, including some that have not been seen on the ranch before.

Sheep operators use dogs to manage and protect their sheep by scaring off predators. Specifically, when sheep are present, the BLM advises the public to keep dogs on a physical leash. E-collars and voice commands are not sufficient. Other recommendations include stop and dismount if mountain biking, put your bike between you and the sheep and/or dog(s), walk your bike until you are well past the sheep, keep your distance from the flock, and remain calm and quiet if dog(s) or sheep approach.

Cronan Ranch Trailhead provides access to 12 miles of trails for non-motorized uses, including hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, bird watching and other recreation. There is a wide variety of terrain to explore including gentle slopes, challenging hill climbs, oak woodlands and gentle riverfront trails. Cronan Ranch connects to the American River Trail Corridor. More information is available online.

Magnolia Ranch Trailhead is located approximately five miles north of the town of Coloma along Highway 49 and the South Fork of the American River. It is situated between the Cronan Ranch Regional Trails Park and Greenwood Creek River Access on public lands. The Magnolia Ranch Trailhead takes you along the 2.5-mile Gerle Loop Trail, which is an easy to moderate, mostly flat trail across rolling hills and oak woodlands with scenic views and access to the American River. The Gerle Loop trail ties into a more extensive trail system west of Hastings Creek and leads you into the Cronan Ranch Regional Trails Park.

CLICK HERE to see the complete BLM Press Release.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews thrown out, gas/oil leases on federal lands will be completed in 6 months or less.

5/23/2025

Tossing aside NEPA and 55 years of precedent of federal land environmental protections, the Department of the Interior today announced a Bureau of Land Management policy update designed to expedite the oil and gas leasing process on public lands. Through a newly issued Instruction Memorandum “Oil and Gas Leasing – Land Use Planning and Lease Parcel Reviews,” the BLM is committing to faster lease parcel reviews by aiming to complete the entire process within six months.

To meet this goal, the BLM will no longer defer parcels prior to completing all National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews as has been required for the past 55 years. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a United States environmental law designed to promote the enhancement of the environment. It created new laws requiring U.S. federal government agencies to evaluate the environmental impacts of their actions and decisions, and it established the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

The Act was passed by the U.S. Congress in December 1969 and signed into law by President Richard Nixon on January 1, 1970. To date, more than 100 nations around the world have enacted national environmental policies modeled after NEPA.

To read the BLM Press Release, CLICK HERE.

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