Fire Restrictions Inyo National Forest

[ski3pin]

The eastern Sierra Nevada area of California is already under seasonal fire restrictions May 24, 2021 -

Inyo NF and BLM Fire Restrictions in Effect

• 
  No Campfires, briquette barbeques, or stove fires are allowed outside of fire rings or fire pits at designated developed recreation sites. The list of designated campgrounds and recreation sites is available at visitor centers and is posted here for Inyo National Forest and available here for the BLM Bishop Field Office.
  
• Valid California Campfire Permits are Required (available free of charge at U.S. Forest Service visitor centers, BLM and CalFire offices, or online at www.readyforwildfire.org/permits/campfire-permit/ and are not exempt from the prohibitions, but are allowed to use portable stoves or lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel.
  
• No Fireworks. It is prohibited to possess or discharge any fireworks, including “safe and sane” fireworks.
  
• No Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.
• 
  No tools powered by internal combustion engines off designated roads or trails (such as chainsaws or lawn mowers).
  
• 
  No motorized vehicles off designated roads or trails.
  
• 
  No welding or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame.
  

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Thanks for the reminder to go online and get a current permit! It's so easy there's no excuse not to do so.

 

[JaSAn]

. . .
No motorized vehicles off designated roads or trails . . .

I take that to mean no driving on unmarked trails and two tracks?

I'm confused as to what that means for boon docking/dispersed camping. I've been told by rangers that I should not park on any signed (numbered) road as it is a right-of-way (emergency vehicle access).

 

[ski3pin]

I take that to mean no driving on unmarked trails and two tracks?

I'm confused as to what that means for boon docking/dispersed camping. I've been told by rangers that I should not park on any signed (numbered) road as it is a right-of-way (emergency vehicle access).

Since this order is in effect on the Inyo National Forest, it would refer to roads/routes not designated on the Forest's Motor Vehicle Use Map

I agree it's a bit confusing because driving on a non-designated route is never allowed and is no different when fire restrictions are in effect. Perhaps it was added here as a reinforcement to stay on designated roads.

 

[craig333]

I can't ever remember fire restrictions coming this early. Another reason to have a stove inside.

 

[rando]

I take that to mean no driving on unmarked trails and two tracks?

I'm confused as to what that means for boon docking/dispersed camping. I've been told by rangers that I should not park on any signed (numbered) road as it is a right-of-way (emergency vehicle access).

Driving on unmarked/non-numbered/non-designated trails is almost universally illegal on most federal lands.

However on roads/areas open to dispersed camping (check the MVUM) you are allowed to pull one vehicle length or 300' from the centerline of the road (depending on area) to camp. However, you should do this in established spurs/campsites where possible. It is a bit confusing as while MVUMs are supposed to be standardized, they differ by region. For Arapahoe NF in Colorado roads that allow dispersed camping are shown with dots along the road and the rule is 300' from the center line. For example:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5339604.pdf

edit: Looks like Ski already explained this.... oops.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Very glad for the early start to restrictions.
Just be safe out there.We can still have fun even with restrictions.
Thanks for posting.
Frank

 

[ski3pin]

In regards to dispersed camping on the Inyo National Forest, here is the Forest's webpage on dispersed camping -

Inyo NF Dispersed Camping

Here is the section on locating a campsite -

Locating a Dispersed Campsite: Look for an area at the end of a spur road or a pullout that is clear of vegetation and has a hard, compacted surface. These sites might have a primitive fire ring. Stay on established roadways; do not drive off-road to camp. Try to select a campsite at least 100 feet from lakes and streams.

From our experience using our truck with popup camper, we use an area that is evident it has been used before. I believe the intent of the language is you do not drive cross country and create a new place to camp with a vehicle. Keep your vehicle right along a designated road.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

These rule are really livable IMO.
But I am sure there are people who
will ignore what ever commonsense
rules there are.
Frank

 

[AWG_Pics]

And so the summer of 2021 starts. Drought is quite severe accross most of the west. Maybe the new normal.

 

[ski3pin]

The entire state of Nevada went into fire restrictions this time last summer (2020). I have not found any notice of that yet this year, but it will come.

 

[JaSAn]

I guess I was being too obtuse in my question.

• 
  No motorized vehicles off designated roads or trails.
  

Locating a Dispersed Campsite: Look for an area at the end of a spur road or a pullout that is clear of vegetation and has a hard, compacted surface. These sites might have a primitive fire ring. Stay on established roadways; do not drive off-road to camp. Try to select a campsite at least 100 feet from lakes and streams.

Driving on unmarked/non-numbered/non-designated trails is almost universally illegal on most federal lands.

However on roads/areas open to dispersed camping (check the MVUM) you are allowed to pull one vehicle length or 300' from the centerline of the road (depending on area) to camp. However, you should do this in established spurs/campsites where possible . . .

My question boils down to: What is considered off road?

Almost all of the dispersed campsites I have seen and used go off an unmarked track to a dispersed campsite 50 to 100 yards off the marked road. Is this considered off-road? I've been told by rangers explicitly, "Do not park on or next to a marked road. Get off the road, preferably to an already established campsite."

I understand what is allowed in normal times; these special restrictions are not normal.

 

[AWG_Pics]

I guess I was being too obtuse in my question.

• 
  No motorized vehicles off designated roads or trails.
  

My question boils down to: What is considered off road?

Almost all of the dispersed campsites I have seen and used go off an unmarked track to a dispersed campsite 50 to 100 yards off the marked road. Is this considered off-road? I've been told by rangers explicitly, "Do not park on or next to a marked road. Get off the road, preferably to an already established campsite."

I understand what is allowed in normal times; these special restrictions are not normal.

There are far too many specific situations to describe in any regulation that could be read, let alone written. Fortunately, so far the land management agencies (USFS & BLM) merely expect people to use common sense. We have stayed over the last year in numerous monuments, forest service and BLM sites and have never been questioned by a ranger. Occasionally they drive by. Probably this is so because we look the site over, and if it looks fairly well used in the past, given the context of the location we are at (not many people try to elbow each other out of the way to secure a site on the edge of a old playa in central Nevada) we pull off the road or track a reasonable distance and pop the top up, break out the chairs, extend the awning if needed and enjoy the view, whatever it may be.

I try to avoid any location that seems to me likely to require some sort of extended explanation on my part about why I chose that particular spot.

This has worked at Vermillion Cliffs, Cedar Mesa, Wupatki, near Frenchglen, west of Mcdermit, NV, south of Austin, NV, in Death Valley NP and quite a few other places.

 

[rando]

I guess I was being too obtuse in my question.

• 
  No motorized vehicles off designated roads or trails.
  

My question boils down to: What is considered off road?

Almost all of the dispersed campsites I have seen and used go off an unmarked track to a dispersed campsite 50 to 100 yards off the marked road. Is this considered off-road? I've been told by rangers explicitly, "Do not park on or next to a marked road. Get off the road, preferably to an already established campsite."

I understand what is allowed in normal times; these special restrictions are not normal.

The 'No motorized vehicles off designated roads or trails' is the same rule that applies even without fire restrictions. I am not sure why they are reiterating it, but I guess it can't hurt. Maybe there is increased danger from hot exhaust/catalytic converters in long grass so they want to remind folks not to head 'off road'.

An established spur/camp site within 300' from a designated route is typically OK, and I would guess as long as the area is established as a camp it would still be OK.