BLM temporarily closes developed recreation facilities in Oregon
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Portland, Oregon – The health and safety of our visitors and staff remains the number one priority of the Bureau of Land Management. In accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state of Oregon public health officials, the BLM will temporarily close many of its developed recreation facilities to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
This closure includes all campgrounds, and some day use sites, and restrooms. Trash pickup and sanitation services on most of these recreation facilities will also be temporarily suspended.
Despite the closure of these facilities, multiple opportunities remain for the public to enjoy the outdoors as long as visitors heed orders, guidance, and advice of local and state officials and the Centers for Disease Control. BLM-managed trails and open spaces remain open across Oregon.
“Local, state or federal, we’re all in this together. The BLM is doing what we can as part of the whole of America response to the coronavirus,” said Jose Linares, acting State Director BLM OR/WA. “Although we have vast open spaces we continue to want people to use, we can’t stress enough that everyone listen to local officials and practice safe social distancing.”
Visitors may continue to enjoy their BLM managed trails and open spaces in Oregon while following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Local and State public health authorities. Social distancing recommendations are extremely important to reducing the transmission of COVID-19 and may require that visitors avoid public lands during high-use times, such as weekends. Please limit any group activities to members of your household, and keep your total party to 10 or fewer participants. At all times, maintain a distance of six feet or more from other people.
The BLM encourages responsible, local recreation to avoid putting strain on other communities. To ensure public lands and waters remain intact for future generations, visitors are encouraged to utilize Leave No Trace practices, such as picking up all trash and human waste, while services at recreational facilities are suspended. Please bring your own sanitary products, including toilet paper and hand sanitizer, and pack out all trash.
Providing for recreation opportunities during this time is just one of the many activities BLM Oregon/
If you’d like to do business with the BLM, please do so by email or phone whenever possible. If you need to come into one of our offices, please contact us first so we can arrange an appointment to help you during normal business hours. Contact information is available on our website at www.blm.gov/oregon-washington.
Information on the affected BLM Oregon-Washington facilities will be posted on https://www.blm.gov/
- Burns District: 541-573-4400
- Coos Bay District: 541-756-0100
- Lakeview District: 541-947-2177
- Medford District: 541-618-2200
- Northwest Oregon District: 503-375-5646
- Prineville District: 541-416-6700
- Roseburg District: 541-440-4930
- Vale District: 541-473-3144
These closures are pursuant to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR): 43 CFR § 8364.1, 43 CFR § 9268.3(d)(1), and 43 CFR § 8365.1-4.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.