What can be done, Medicine Bow near Centennial

[PrairieHunter]

Howdy folks.

I have observed an interesting situation on our public land and wanted to get your input on what can be done here.

This is in the Medicine Bow NF just past Centennial on 130 off Barber Lake Rd.

When you turn on Barber Lake there is a u shaped turnaround on your right hand side with a locked gate. That old road follows libby Creek going East. Along that road used to be a really nice campground with 25+ camp sites. The road runs along Libby creek for less than a mile and meets back up to 130. It appears that there was a fire in that area maybe 10 years ago or so and for some reason the USFS did not open it back up.


The interesting part is that someone has a private cabin along that road where I put a dot.


So it appears to me that the people who own that cabin were able to get the USFS to close down an entire campground and close access to that road so they could have their own private space in spite of that being public land.

So now they are able to access that road but nobody else can.

The best part is they have gone through and started ripping out the fire pits at each site and hauling it out, then they tip over all the concrete picnic table stands in an effort to keep people from using the space. This week there is only 1 fire pit left as they hauled out 3 more just in the last week that I know of.

My guess is the person who owns the cabin somehow forced the USFS to close down that campsite and close access to that road to keep the public away from their cabin on public land. Now they are trashing the campground to keep people out.



So do you all have any suggestions for what can be done in this situation?

 

[Djfan]

My guess is that some gubermint official has very good access to hunt near private land.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Have you talked to the district Ranger?

 

[PrairieHunter]

Have you talked to the district Ranger?

No I have not.

 

[rogerthat]

Yeah, first things first before coming on a public forum would be to do your due diligence and talk to the forest service. You’re jumping the gun at this point. You know what they say about assuming right?

 

[Straight Arrow]

The best part is they have gone through and started ripping out the fire pits at each site and hauling it out, then they tip over all the concrete picnic table stands in an effort to keep people from using the space.

Who is the "they" to whom you refer in the dismantling of this campground?

Yes, due diligence is required in determining the reasons and "back-story" information from USFS. Then inform us of the "rest of the story".

 

[wytex]

The campground was closed due to hazard trees and they are still laying around the area.
If they are stealing the resources then report it to Aaron Voos in Laramie.

No the LO did not get that campground closed for your answer.

 

[wytex]

I sent an email to the FS.
That campground has been closed for a few years now by the way.

 

[PrairieHunter]

Hi All,

I wanted to pass along an update for what was going on in this area.

I was up later last fall and the USFS was in the campground ripping out all the fire pits, concrete pads, and concrete picnic tables. They did not save the fire pits of concrete legs for picnic tables to reuse elsewhere, just piled them up and broken and bent.

So here is a rundown of what happened in that particular piece of proeprty

The USFS built a nice campground along the river. Appears to have been around 50 sites, 3 bathrooms, septic tank, a bridge, 50 pads, 50 fire pits or grills, info stations, money deposit station, gates, and a really nice cabin. I am sure this cost a lot of $ being how most contractors take advantage of the government and all the wild red tape associated with a project like this.

It does not appear that any work was done on the timber and then beetles and a fire came through.

At that point the USFS decided to close the campground. I assume out of safety reasons.

Then the USFS decided to rip out all the camp site accomodations spending more $.


So the end result is this
Nothing was done to manage the timber on the site
Money was spent building a campground that now generates 0 income.
Taxpayers spent a lot of $ building and tearing out a campground.
Now there is no access, locked gates, foot travel only except for the family who gets the cabin.
They get a private cabin with locked gates to keep people out .
They likely pay next to nothing for the lease

So the taxpayers spent all this money and it now generates a small income each month for one family.



This folks is why we need to crack down on federal spending. If you think this was a good use of tax dollars you are the problem. This was a complete waste of resources.

I wonder how much this cost us. Likely 7 figures considering there was a bridge involved.

 

[Sheltowee]

Hi All,

I wanted to pass along an update for what was going on in this area.

I was up later last fall and the USFS was in the campground ripping out all the fire pits, concrete pads, and concrete picnic tables. They did not save the fire pits of concrete legs for picnic tables to reuse elsewhere, just piled them up and broken and bent.

So here is a rundown of what happened in that particular piece of proeprty

The USFS built a nice campground along the river. Appears to have been around 50 sites, 3 bathrooms, septic tank, a bridge, 50 pads, 50 fire pits or grills, info stations, money deposit station, gates, and a really nice cabin. I am sure this cost a lot of $ being how most contractors take advantage of the government and all the wild red tape associated with a project like this.

It does not appear that any work was done on the timber and then beetles and a fire came through.

At that point the USFS decided to close the campground. I assume out of safety reasons.

Then the USFS decided to rip out all the camp site accomodations spending more $.


So the end result is this
Nothing was done to manage the timber on the site
Money was spent building a campground that now generates 0 income.
Taxpayers spent a lot of $ building and tearing out a campground.
Now there is no access, locked gates, foot travel only except for the family who gets the cabin.
They get a private cabin with locked gates to keep people out .
They likely pay next to nothing for the lease

So the taxpayers spent all this money and it now generates a small income each month for one family.



This folks is why we need to crack down on federal spending. If you think this was a good use of tax dollars you are the problem. This was a complete waste of resources.

I wonder how much this cost us. Likely 7 figures considering there was a bridge involved.

Submit a FOIA: https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/foia