Ouachita National Forest ATV Trails Issue

The U. S. Forest Service recently announced that the Wolf Pen Gap ATV trails, located in the Ouachita National Forest near Mena, Arkansas, will have their use season severely reduced and will remain open only during the summer travel season from May 15-September 15. To make matters more dire, the trails will only be open to the public on weekends and holidays on a first come, first served basis with an artificial maximum limit of 5,000 riders per year.

In addition, the trails will be closed if it rains more than 1/4" per hour or 1/2" per 24 hour period until an assessment can be made regarding any potentially adverse effects of sedimentation. Would you risk driving for hours to visit the trails only to find out a thunderstorm had dropped 1/4" of rain and they had closed the trails?

These changes in the regulation of the Ouachita National Forest will have a large negative impact on the tourism industry in Western Arkansas and threaten what has become a key source of economic development in the area, as attracting other types of industry has proven difficult. Western Arkansas's economy will face further hardship if these regulations come into effect. If you would like to assist with these efforts, please join the following groups and visit the resources at the following web pages.

We will update this space as we learn more regarding this dispute.

Upcoming Events

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Click here to access information regarding this event on the Coyote Canyon Campground website

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Contact Us

Please contact us by phone at 501-376-2323 or by using our online contact form by clicking here.

Facebook Group

Please join the Save our Economy (Wolf Pen Gap ATV Trails) issue group on Facebook. Many issues, alerts, and discussions regarding this issue are occurring there.

Click here to join the Save our Economy (Wolf Pen Gap ATV Trails) Facebook group.

Text Message Rapid Response Alert Announcements

Please text ATVAR to 41513 to help keep the ATV trails open in the Ouachita National Forest and support economic development and tourism in Western Arkansas.

Letters from our U.S. Congresspersons

Letter from U.S. Senator Mark Pryor

Letter from U.S. Representative Mike Ross

Lincoln to Forest Service Chief: Local Communities Don’t Want Restrictions on ATV Access in Ouachita National Forest

Lincoln Tours Ouachita National Forest with Forest Service Chief to Discuss Wolf Pen Gap Closure

Lincoln: Forest Service Will Revisit Decision to Limit ATV Access to Wolf Pen Gap Trail Area

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2010
Contact: Courtney Rowe or Liz Friedlander, 202-224-2035
Lincoln: Forest Service Will Revisit Decision to Limit ATV Access to Wolf Pen Gap Trail Area

Washington – U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, said today that the USDA Forest Service has announced that they are initiating a review of the decision to reduce access to the Wolf Pen Gap ATV area on the Ouachita National Forest. The plan, announced in January, would reduce access to the Wolf Pen Gap area by over 70 percent. The plan was appealed by over two dozen citizens and citizens groups. Lincoln is leading the Arkansas and Oklahoma Congressional delegations in a bi-partisan effort to get the Forest Service to reconsider the plan.

“I’m pleased the Forest Service has decided to take another look at the Wolf Pen Gap area under the Ouachita Travel Management Plan. I’ve been concerned about the impact of reductions in access at Wolf Pen Gap on the recreation-based economy in communities surrounding the Ouachita National Forest. When Forest Service Chief Tidwell and I recently visited the area, it was clear that local ATV businesses and user groups are just as concerned as the Forest Service about protecting the trails and preserving the environment. This review will give all those who care about the Ouachita and depend on it for both recreation and economic development the chance to address concerns raised by over two dozen appeals filed against the plan. It’s my hope that this review will provide reasonable, year-round access to important areas such as Wolf Pen Gap,” Lincoln said.

The Forest Service upheld the Travel Management Plan for the rest of the Ouachita, meaning hunters and other ATV users will face new restrictions on the Ouachita. Lincoln expressed concern that these portions of the decision will not be part of the review.

“There is plenty of room for compromise on other aspects of the plan and I will continue to urge the Forest Service to work with all users of the Ouachita to address these issues,” said Lincoln.

Lincoln recently toured the Ouachita National Forest with Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell and urged him to reverse the decision to limit ATV access in order to protect the local economies of communities around the Ouachita National Forest area. She has also met with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack about this issue.