Final Environmental Impact Statement

Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3
public Federal, State, County, City and private lands in the Vestal project area. This is
important for the local economy as well as the quality of life for residents.
The most popular areas for dispersed recreation are Calamity Peak, Buckhorn Range,
Custer Peak, Poverty Gulch and Meeker Ranch, home of an historic ranch farmstead.
The Paha-Sapa Trail was decommissioned in the late 1980’s but has continued to be used
by private citizens. The Buckhorn Range, both east and west sides, in the project area is
a spectacular large granite ridge accessible for dispersed recreation activity from the City
of Custer limits and/or Highways 87 and 16/385. Custer Peak is located near Stockade
Lake with several adjacent commercial campgrounds east of the Custer. Patrons of these
campgrounds frequent Custer Peak mainly for hiking or horseback riding on old FS
roads. Dispersed recreation use in these areas is highest during the primary recreation
season from May to September annually. There is moderate use during the fall and low
use during the winter months. Group use in the project area by hikers, horse riders and
mountain bikers, particularly on the old Paha-Sapa trail, occurs on an infrequent basis
during the summer months.
There are no motorized or non-motorized Forest System trails within the project area.
Recreation Special Uses
Three Outfitter & Guide and one Organizational Camp (Camp Bob Marshall) Special Use
Permits are issued in the project area. Please refer to Map 10 in Appendix A for specific
locations. There are authorized roads and trails under recreation outfitter & guide special
use permits issued to Rockin R Rides for conducting horse rides, National Outdoor
Leadership School for teaching rock climbing/environmental education and to Outlaw
Ranch for hiking, horse ride and hiking activities in the project area (see Permit Map 10
in Appendix A).
Motorized Recreation
The majority of system roads in the project area are open to public licensed vehicles.
Open public travel roads are reflected on the Black Hills National Forest Motor Vehicle
Use Map (MVUM) which is available free to the public and also available on the Forest
website. The project area does not allow for off-road motorized use. The use of Forest
system roads which are open for public travel in the project area by ATV, UTV and trail
motorcycles is common year round except in an unusually heavy snowfall winter.
Unauthorized off highway use of the project area is a concern and a challenge to manage
since the implementation of the 2010 Black Hills National Forest Travel Management
Decision.
Environmental Consequences
Alternative 1
This alternative would have a negative effect on the recreation resource if the on-going
MPB epidemic in project area continues, as expected. The resulting increased mortality
of dense stands of timber due to MPB infestation would cause considerable degradation
of the visual aesthetics over a broad landscape versus a healthy green forest.
147