Campers, vehicles to be banned from Wilson Canyon

A popular segment of the West Walker River will be closed to campers and off-highway vehicles after Labor Day.

Wilson Canyon, between Smith and Mason valleys, will be closed after the holiday, according to Chuck Pope, assistant director of the Bureau of Land Management's Carson City field office.

Pope said the decision to close the riverside and bed came after meetings with residents, off-highway vehicle users and county officials.

"We took into account some of common interests people had," he said. "The common thread was that we need to protect river corridor while still allowing multiple use."

Pope said fishing and hiking will still be allowed along the river, but signs will be posted informing campers of the ban and eventually blockades will be erected to prevent vehicle access.

"The BLM is willing to close access to protect river corridor," he said. "It has suffered serious damage from people camping right on river, people driving into the river, they've had some fires, and there is human waste and trash left in the area."

The bureau controls both sides of the Walker River in the canyon. Pope said the extent of the area covered by the order will be determined by BLM experts.

"We'll take a scientific look at what needs to be closed with our scientists," Pope said. "We want to let people have a quality recreation experience and protect resource at the same time. We will continue to work with county and the interest groups, using their input to make decisions."

Nearby property owner Laurie Christine supported closing the river to vehicles and campers.

"This is a wonderful area for camping, but it has just been destroyed, and the damage is continual and accelerating over the past two years."

Christine said all-terrain vehicle riders are driving down the riverbed when the water is low.

"There is no law enforcement," she said. "It has been illegal to camp in the rest area. There is an 18-hour limit, but I've seen at least a half-dozen people who have been there for a couple of days. They use it as a staging area for off-road vehicles."

An organization called Friends of Wilson Canyon represents off-road vehicle users and opposes limiting vehicle access in the area.

A spokesman for the group couldn't be reached for comment on Friday.

On the Web

Pro closure: http://wilsoncanyon.org

Opposed: www.wilsoncanyonnv.org