BLM seeks public input for recreation site improvement in south central Idaho

BURLEY, Idaho – The Bureau of Land Management Burley Field Office recreation staff seeks public feedback on a proposed grant request to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. The grant request will seek $200,000 from the Waterways Improvement Fund (WIF) for improvements at the Lud Drexler Park at Salmon Falls Reservoir near the Idaho/Nevada border, south of Twin Falls. As part of the grant request process, public input is essential to prioritize these improvements for motorized boaters and anglers.

Burley Field Office staff is proposing, if funded, to replace the boat ramp at Lud Drexler Park, which would provide improved safety and access to Salmon Falls Reservoir for motorized boaters and anglers. “The BLM has recognized the need to replace the boat ramp at Lud Drexler for continued and improved access to Salmon Falls Reservoir,” said BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner Taylor Baxter. “We want to hear from those who use and enjoy the area.”

Comments must be received by Dec 31, 2024. If the grant is awarded, the work is anticipated to take place in 2026.

Comments may be sent electronically to Taylor Baxter, outdoor recreation planner, at tbaxter@blm.gov or by mail to Bureau of Land Management, Attn: Taylor Baxter, 15 E. 200 South, Burley, Idaho, 83318. Please, contact the BLM Burley Field Office at 208-677-6600 if you would like more information about the grant application.

The Lud Drexler Park is named in honor of a local Idahoan, who contributed significantly to the development of the recreation site, which is a cooperative effort by the BLM, Twin Falls County, Salmon River Canal Company, and sportsmen. The park offers shore access, a boat ramp, 20 developed campsites with shade cabanas, fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets. The reservoir is popular for boating, camping and fishing for trout, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, and walleye throughout the year.