BLM Eagle Lake Field Office

Welcome U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study Areas Eagle Lake Field Office The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for 260 wilderness areas and 491 wilderness study areas in the western United States and Alaska. From primitive hunting locations to remote fishing, hiking, and camping spots, these designated areas provide unparalleled opportunities for time spent outdoors. Wilderness Study Areas The wilderness study areas of California’s Eagle Lake Field Office offer an amazing opportunity to experience the vast ruggedness of the western Great Basin. Stretched before you are vast panoramas of sage and rice grass uplands rising to eroded volcanic peaks, bisected by canyons and abundant with wildlife. Here mammoths once foraged near Pleistocene Lake Lahontan. Later these regions formed the homelands for hunter-gatherer peoples, and still later they were marked by the wagon tracks of explorers and emigrants from the East. Rugged, quiet, and mostly untouched by humans, these places offer rare opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation in an increasingly urbanized world. However, their future is still undetermined. Map & Guide Protect your public lands and resources by staying on designated routes and trails! In 1976 Congress directed the BLM to evaluate all public land under its jurisdiction for wilderness characteristics. These identified areas became WSA set aside for Congress to consider adding to the National Wilderness Preservation System. Until Congress decides to add or end consideration of a WSA, the BLM manages the area to preserve its suitability for designation as wilderness, defined by the Wilderness Preservation Act as “where the earth and community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” Congress mandated four wilderness characteristics in each WSA that must not be impaired: 2550 Riverside Dr. Susanville, CA 96130 (530) 257-0456 BLM/CA-GI-2022/003+8000 Bureau of Land Management Eagle Lake Field Office www.blm.gov/office/eagle-lake-field-office Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return! Hospital Information Banner Lassen Medical Center Emergency Room 1800 Spring Ridge Dr. Susanville, CA 96130 (530) 252-2000 size as to make practicable its preservation and use in an unimpaired condition. Naturalness: Generally appears to have been Five Springs WSA affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man’s work substantially unnoticeable. Outstanding opportunities: Outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined recreation. Other features: May also contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value. The WSAs managed by the Eagle Lake Field Office are rich in wilderness qualities. They also sustain cattle grazing and limited vehicle access. This field office manages over one million acres of public land, which includes about 330,000 acres of WSAs. For more information about the WSAs not covered in this guide and map, please contact the field office at 530-257-0456. North Eastern Rural Health Clinic Urgent Care Susanville, CA 96130 (530) 251-5000 Contact Information (530) 257-6121 California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Lassen County (530) 254-6644 California State Parks Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Division (916) 324-4442 Emergencies DIAL 911 Safety Road conditions can change suddenly in stormy weather. Many of the cherry stems and designated roads that access the WSAs are not maintained regularly. • Adverse weather, fire, and flooding can all happen in the WSAs. Check local forecasts and be aware of changing conditions. • Mountain lions are rarely seen, but it you encounter one, do not run. Stand your ground, look bigger by fanning out jackets, make noise and throw rocks. • Use updated maps and orientation, as GPS and phone signals are limited. • Bring sunscreen, clothing layers, and plenty of water and food. • Always filter or boil water from natural sources. • Be aware of other hunters and visitors and practice safe hunting. • Range cattle may be encountered in the WSAs year-round, and they may not move for you. Use caution and approach slowly. Central to Five Springs WSA are three ridge-like peaks: Five Springs Mountain, Cherry Mountain, and Rush Creek Mountain. Heavily eroded, each mountain now forms multiple peaks separated by wide canyons. Rush Creek is a riparian corridor with willows, but is mostly perennial, as is nearby Stony Creek. WSAs that year, it “grandfathered” these routes in, making them legal for driving and bicycling. They are open to street-legal vehicles, off-highway vehicles, and bicycles. While they access the WSAs, these cherry stems are not part of the WSAs themselves. The WSA boundaries follow the edges of the roads. The legal roads, also open to vehicles, OHVs and bicycles, are similar. For example, Skedaddle Ranch Road is legal for vehicle and bicycle use. If you step out of your vehicle onto Skedaddle Ranch Road you are not in a WSA. If you step off the road, you have entered a WSA. Unauthorized Routes Creating new vehicle tracks (including bicycle tracks), routes or surface disturbances in a WSA is illegal and punishable by law. Visitors using any vehicles must limit their travel to the legal cherry stems and designated roads shown on the included map. Remote and surrounded primarily by roadless areas, this WSA is a quiet bastion for wildlife. Other Recreation Opportunities • Plan Ahead & Prepare Rugged and untamed, the core of this WSA is a massive caldera blending the summits, canyons, and alluvial slopes of the Skedaddle and Amedee Mountains. This caldera, an erupted volcanic crater, crests at Hot Springs Peak (7,558 ft.) where aspen groves overlook sagebrush-covered flats to the north and east. These habitats are essential for sage grouse courtship and nesting and provide for many other species as well. • Dispose of Waste Properly Hikers atop the ranges to the west are rewarded with views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Honey Lake and will find ample signs of mountain lions and coyotes on these elongated inclines, as well as in the canyons that bisect them. James, Amedee, and Wendel Canyons support willows, wild rose, and berry shrubs at the bases of steep, crumbling cliffs. Gold rush-era wagon tracks cross the northern sections of the WSA. Smoke Creek Road, along with Skedaddle Ranch Road, are open for OHV use and popular with chukar and antelope hunters. Dry Valley Rim WSA Defined by a fault block 20 miles long and rising 1,500 feet over its surroundings, the rim of Dry Valley commands views of Smoke Creek Desert to the east. In the spring, brilliant wildflowers bloom where Pleistocene Lake Lahontan once lapped its shores. West of there, mule deer and pronghorn antelope browse grasses and sagebrush, attracting animal predators year-round and hunters in the fall. Chukar partridge is the hunter’s favorite bag within the steep rock escarpments on the Nevada side. Hunter access to the east is via Pipe Springs Road • Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces • Leave What You Find • Minimize Campfire Impacts • Respect Wildlife • Be Considerate of Other Visitors Where to Drive and Bicycle Cherry Stems and Legal Roads There are two main types of routes open to vehicle and bicycle access in the WSAs: cherry stems and legal roads. Cherry stems are primitive driving routes that existed prior to 1979. When Congress established Hiking Hiking is a great way to explore the WSAs. Hike on durable surfaces following Leave No Trace principles. There are no designated hiking trails in the WSAs. Choose your own adventure using maps and orienteering. GPS and phone signals are limited. Camping WSAs are great for primitive and dispersed tent camping. There are no developed campsites and potable water is not available. Bring plenty of drinking water and be prepared for harsh desert conditions. Camping is allowed up to 14 days Campfires Minimize campfire impacts by choosing durable surfaces and cleaning up after use. Campfires are permitted with a current campfire permit, available free online or at any BLM or Forest Service office. Seasonal fire restrictions may prohibit campfires during periods of high fire danger. Make sure your fire is completely out and cold to the touch when leaving camp. You can get a campfire permit and check on fire restrictions and conditions by checking with the Eagle Lake Field Office. Ride on durable surfaces following Leave No Trace principles. There are no designated trails in the WSAs. Choose your own adventure using maps and orienteering. Hunting Hunting on foot or horseback is the preferred method in the WSAs. Vehicle use is limited to legal roads and cherry stem routes shown on the map. Respect all private property postings and gain permission to cross private lands. For hunting regulations contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or the Nevada Department of Fish and Wildlife, depending on your location. Leave No Trace Skedaddle WSA Activities Horseback Riding In addition to this guide the BLM manages several WSA’s which include Tunnison Mountain, Buffalo Hills, Twin Peaks and a portion of the Poodle Mountain WSA. For a map of these WSAs or other lands, a Recreation Map and Guide is available for purchase and covers the entire BLM Eagle Lake Field Office Boundary. Additional free maps and guides which depict off-highway vehicle (OHV) use opportunities are available for the Fort Sage OHV area, Rice Canyon OHV Area and Dry Valley OHV area at the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office and on the web at www.blm.gov/office/eagle-lake-field-office. 1850 Spring Ridge Dr. Lassen County Sheriff’s Department Non-Emergency The Nobles Emigrant Trail is a window into the past, cutting through Smoke Creek Canyon along the northern edge of the WSA. Ruts left by wagon wheels of the pioneers are visible near the interpretive sign alongside Smoke Creek Road. The landscape is much as it was in the 1850s, when travelers seeking fortune and fresh opportunities faced great risk or lost their lives passing through here. For more information contact the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office for a map and guide of the Nobles Emigrant Trail. Size: At least 5,000 acres of land or is of sufficient For more information contact: while the north side is accessible from Smoke Creek Road. Fishing Please adhere to as the map and signs in the WSAs when planning vehicle or bicycle excursions. Respecting these laws is an important part of protecting these lands. The California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division (OHMVR) grant program funding is used in part to restore and sign these unauthorized routes created by OHV use. Please respect the lands and stay on the authorized roads and trails! For more information about the grant program funding visit their website at https://ohv. parks.ca.gov/ Several of the WSA creeks provide good fishing, including Willow Creek in the Tunnison Mountain WSA. For fishing regulations contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. OHVs OHV use is limited to legal cherry stems and designated roads shown on the map. Please stay on the legal routes. Competitive races are prohibited. Bicycles Bicycle use is limited to cherry stem routes and roads shown on the map. Organized group events are prohibited. Other Activities The WSAs are great places for photography, night sky viewing, birdwatching, and wildlife viewing. Prominent Wildlife: You may see pronghorn antelope, mule deer, wild horses, wild burros, coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, Great Basin rattlesnakes, Great Basin collared lizards, sage grouse, chukar partridges, golden eagles, bald eagles, ravens, burrowing owls, and brown trout. Prominent Plant Life: Expect to see sagebrush, Indian ricegrass, juniper, pinyon pine, sedges, willows, wild rose, curl leaf mountain mahogany, berry shrubs, and aspen. Cultural Resources Ancient petroglyphs and other cultural artifacts may be found in the WSAs. Many of these are hold spiritual significance to people today. Leave artifacts where you find them and do not touch or rub petroglyphs. These are protected resources. It is against the law to damage, disturb or remove them. 31 35 34 33 32 tain 35 36 35 34 33 32 34 33 32 r C eek r s ad dl k ee Cr r 08 10 Area of Critical Environmental Concern ^ Town 0 Spring Special Recreation Management Areas Transportation Field Office Boundary Honey Local Road 00 2wd Low Clearance Vehicle Townships 4wd Low Clearance Vehicle Sections Waterbodies 4wd High Clearance Vehicle 4wd Technical High Clearance Vehicle 00 Marsh/Wetland Intermittent 34 Unverified Route Land Ownership 03 04 05 16 k e e C r e o k S m d gs R Sand Pas s pri n eS 36 05 rt 02 04 03 06 Round Hole Spring 09 12 11 10 11 09 08 10 07 15 13 14 16 17 14 15 16 T28N 21 Mission Peak, 5,580 ft 24 23 22 23 22 20 19 21 Sulphur Spring 28 07 27 32 33 50 0 28 29 25 26 0 36 35 02 Valley dl 09 08 e Cr 0 45 35 34 33 32 31 10 07 11 08 Mission Peak Well 04 06 02 03 02 03 04 05 01 11 10 12 n Sa 445 V U 10 09 08 07 01 17 11 13 14 15 16 d Pa Rd ss 11 08 oa ey R y Vall Dr 11 10 09 07 12 d 45 0 15 16 17 18 13 14 T27N 0 0 50 15 16 17 18 0 14 445 V U 17 12 k 3 18 17 16 4 Miles 15 22 20 R16E 14 13 18 S i e r r a A r m y D e p o t 23 24 19 0 40 22 20 21 23 22 24 19 0 Sa 24 23 21 20 nd Pa ss Road V U 445 17 13 16 21 22 Duck Lake 30 23 24 29 28 27 26 29 R18E 27 28 25 0 40 20 R17E 23 22 21 20 19 0 26 445 V U 25 29 30 R19E 40 0 33 R20E 26 27 28 0 19 4000 15 14 0 34 Dry Valley Mission Wells Trailhead 05 06 01 02 26 27 30 0 24 35 Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation 0 45 R15E 23 34 0 40 22 21 33 32 0 400 10 09 2 13 03 09 08 03 04 12 12 1 14 26 ee 0 15 27 36 35 01 14 20 Lake 02 03 34 33 32 06 15 24 36 04 23 01 D r y Va l l e y OHV Area 30 31 Dry Valley - Turn of the Road 04 05 22 Jack Bonham Ranch Well 05 31 00 Bureau of Indian Affairs Private17 35 34 25 d Local Government Bureau of Land Management 0 µ 0 26 da 10 09 08 00 11 0 36 35 34 33 Ske State 10000 foot 33 02 03 04 0 5500 32 01 Department of Defense 25 26 27 28 Wendel Ro ad 4000 Fish and Wildlife Service Contours 32 36 Rotten Egg Spring 29 55 0 24 23 27 29 30 25 02 05 T27N 35 Honey 40 0 28 5000 Dry Perennial Stream 19 24 26 27 28 31 35 34 33 20 We nde lR d 29 33 No OHV Use 22 21 22 21 20 28 32 500 foot Lake 20 00 21 18 29 23 32 13 4000 Perennial ATV 13 T29N 23 18 19 24 23 22 21 20 4500 50 0 Public Land Survey System Highway 14 15 16 29 30 13 5000 Summit 17 26 4500 Wilderness Study Area 0 14 15 16 17 14 20 18 0 Trailhead 16 15 12 45 0 Management Areas 11 16 17 19 North Dry Valley ACEC 17 13 10 25 08 07 12 14 15 16 17 4000 13 R14E 12 09 Locked Gate 23 07 27 28 06 0 55 # 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