Land use on base

[Cali94YJ]

What base are you at and can you wheel on base?

Just got the policy letter from the wing commander today--NO WHEELING on base, unless for official use only. 99K acres of California that use to be ok to wheel on are GONE! I'm a responsible wheeler thats picks up trash and makes sure that it was the same if not better than I left it. This is an issue that might need to be addressed at the DoD level. I understand that some areas are off limits, but to cut off trails that are established and mapped should be open for rec use. Responsible wheeling and official use can work together to enjoy and maintain the base. Thats my 2 cents.

Most of these trails are for powerline maintenace and base infastrucure to outlining sites. There was an OHV course at one time, at said base, that shared land with the base exercise area, the OHV area got shut down due to an EOD issue. It was cleaned up, the exercise area is still good to go, the OHV area, not so much.

[tomsjeep]

Ft. Irwin has large areas "roped off" because of some turtle. It used to be prohibited to drive any POV out on the ranges of Army posts I've frequently been on (Ft. Jackson, Ft. Chaffee, Camp Robinson) but NCOs often did anyway. However that was quite some time ago. I doubt things are going to get any better.

[JeepinSoldier]

Wheeling on FT Belvoir will get you dragged into the Provost Marshall's Office. Ask me how I know.

There is no operation of POVs off the hardball road anywhere on FT Belvoir - posted or not.

[91YEEPER]

out here we have "tertiary roads" which are for the most part unimproved roads that go to alot of fishing, hunting, and other low access areas. theres even maps of the roads available at range control. the last time i went out to knights pond the road to get there was BAD, im talking 3-4 wash outs, huge boulders washed down into it. best fishing trip ive ever had. BUT at last like everywhere some shithead in a mid 80's chevy on baldas 35's decides to go get stuck, leave his truck out there for a week, and then call a towtruck to pull him out. that road got fenced off after that.

[Ricky Booby]

When I was at Ft Polk, I was friends with the Fish & Wildlife Game Warden. He told be not to be stupid with what I did, and if I saw troops training, just turn around. That was 5 years ago though. Things may have changed.

At Ft Lewis, where currently stationed (but in Iraq), I just keep a fishing rod in the Jeep when I go out. I am not stupid with what I do or where I go, I can self recover, and I go check with Range Control to see what's "open" for rec use. It seems that alot of down range is closed alot of the time, so it's really whatever I can get open. I have been all around Ft Lewis' training areas, without issues. I ran into the downrange patrol once. I told them I was lost, looking for the lake to go fishing (they didn't know I had a map and GPS in the center console , and I knew exactly where I was ). After about 10 minutes of BSing, the showed me how to get to the lake.

It also doesn't hurt to be a MP.



Bobby

[Fred]

Here on Ft Wood you can drive on ANY road on post that has a nuber or letter name. Example Ft LeonardWood EE or Ft Leonard Wood 4 but all the side fire breaks and such are off limits even though they are on the hunting and fishing map. However I talked to a game warden on post and he said he won't mess with guys hunting or fishing but he can usually tell if someone is wheeling and its a healthy fine

[tickwomp]

Camp Pendleton has so much backyard area to wheel on. If it's a range or a road range it is posted 'no POV', unless of course you have a range pass. doesn't hurt to know a guy who knows a guy. Red Beach is goood wheelin.

[JoeySnow70]

Ft Knox also if you know a guy that knows the guy... TA 12 is the $h!t...

[HillBillE]

What a bummer! Back in the mid '90's at Ft. Hood, all you had to do was check in at Range Control, find what areas were open, and get a pass.

(you also had to take a 20 minute class once a year, to use the areas, that was no big deal)

Had to be out by dark, and notify Range Control if you left a rig overnight.

If someone screwed up, they punished that person by suspending thier down range, hunting, fishing privelidges, they didn't close the area down.

We were on good terms and first name basis with the range control guys, they were both Military and civilians, and they took care of the hunting areas, let ya know what was closed open, etc.

They would call us when someone got stuck, becuase we knew the areas.

Sucks that bases are closing areas to wheeling.

[treefrog]

HillBillE, I was at Hood from 94-98. I remember those days. We would wheel anywhere that there was no training going on. Just looked at the big map at range control to see what was open and say, "We are going here for the day." As long as you checked out at the end of the day, all was good.

Now at Fort Drum, NY= No wheeling at all at anytime. You get caught, you get to go see the Garrison CSM.

Times have changed.