Javier Gras
Registered Member
It seems they are going to close down the trails around Clayton, OK. The timber company that owns the area is going to sell the land. Check out fwd-fwd webpage for more info as the week progresses. To those planning rides there, you better check up on it.
Remember there is still a couple of areas in OK (Poteau and Disney) to wheel.
Boy, it keeps getting harder and harder to wheel.
Following is a couple of messages from the tx4x4 list with info on it.
Good luck
Javier
----------------
From tx4x4,
>..., anybody else going to Clayton this weekend or in October for the
Oktober Trailfest/SWFWDA Fall Quarterly (hosted by FWD-FWD). I'd check with
the hosts before making that drive. It has been confirmed that all the main
trails (near the charcoal plant sections and off Wildwood Acres) have been
closed to all recreation by the owners, Georgia Pacific. They are looking to
sell that section of 4000 acres and have plans underway to do an
environmental impact study on the area (common practice before a large
timber area land sale). They were very unaware of the quality and quantity
of four wheeling going on in the area. The area manager (I think his name is
Curtis something) ordered the main road from the now closed charcoal plant
to be bar ditched to help deter access. Rumor had it that the guy who runs
the Indian Mounds campground dug those ditches, but he did not. It was
handled by Georgia Pacific. The trails affected in that area included
everything except Survey Line and BusLine way out in the Honobia Creek
Wildlife Management Area (which is Hancock owned property). Georgia Pacific
has offered to sell the land to Hancock, but they don't seem to have
interest. It looks like our only real hope to keep this land open, is to
purchase it for well over 1 million dollars. Perhaps somebody can talk the
local town into a joint venture or something, but I doubt they can work with
that kind of debt. As big as FWD-FWD is, we don't have anywhere near that
kind of money. Maybe the state of Oklahoma, or the local county (Pushmataha)
would be interested in an OHV park.
If this were Texas, the Texas Motorized Trails Coalition (TMTC at
www.texasmotorizedtrails.com) would jump at the chance to secure federal
funds to secure this land. However, I don't know if Oklahoma's mutli-use
groups are as organized. I know the group exists, I just don't remember
seeing anything from them since a meeting in Oklahoma City about this time
last year.
Lance Morin
Ft. Worth - Dallas Four Wheel Drive (FWD-FWD)
FWD-FWD is committed to having the meeting. Right now the schedule remains
the same. A final decision will be held by COB Friday. Expect the FWD-FWD
website to be updated by the weekend. If it is not in Clayton, it will be
in Gilmer. If you put a correct phone number on your registration, you will
be notified via phone of the change.
Remember there is still a couple of areas in OK (Poteau and Disney) to wheel.
Boy, it keeps getting harder and harder to wheel.
Following is a couple of messages from the tx4x4 list with info on it.
Good luck
Javier
----------------
From tx4x4,
>..., anybody else going to Clayton this weekend or in October for the
Oktober Trailfest/SWFWDA Fall Quarterly (hosted by FWD-FWD). I'd check with
the hosts before making that drive. It has been confirmed that all the main
trails (near the charcoal plant sections and off Wildwood Acres) have been
closed to all recreation by the owners, Georgia Pacific. They are looking to
sell that section of 4000 acres and have plans underway to do an
environmental impact study on the area (common practice before a large
timber area land sale). They were very unaware of the quality and quantity
of four wheeling going on in the area. The area manager (I think his name is
Curtis something) ordered the main road from the now closed charcoal plant
to be bar ditched to help deter access. Rumor had it that the guy who runs
the Indian Mounds campground dug those ditches, but he did not. It was
handled by Georgia Pacific. The trails affected in that area included
everything except Survey Line and BusLine way out in the Honobia Creek
Wildlife Management Area (which is Hancock owned property). Georgia Pacific
has offered to sell the land to Hancock, but they don't seem to have
interest. It looks like our only real hope to keep this land open, is to
purchase it for well over 1 million dollars. Perhaps somebody can talk the
local town into a joint venture or something, but I doubt they can work with
that kind of debt. As big as FWD-FWD is, we don't have anywhere near that
kind of money. Maybe the state of Oklahoma, or the local county (Pushmataha)
would be interested in an OHV park.
If this were Texas, the Texas Motorized Trails Coalition (TMTC at
www.texasmotorizedtrails.com) would jump at the chance to secure federal
funds to secure this land. However, I don't know if Oklahoma's mutli-use
groups are as organized. I know the group exists, I just don't remember
seeing anything from them since a meeting in Oklahoma City about this time
last year.
Lance Morin
Ft. Worth - Dallas Four Wheel Drive (FWD-FWD)
FWD-FWD is committed to having the meeting. Right now the schedule remains
the same. A final decision will be held by COB Friday. Expect the FWD-FWD
website to be updated by the weekend. If it is not in Clayton, it will be
in Gilmer. If you put a correct phone number on your registration, you will
be notified via phone of the change.
