End Fire Danger – Close Blankenship Bridge Gravel Bar to Camping

I am for making this a day use site only. It was out of control last year. All that waste right into the river and the rules were not being followed. If there are not enough forest service personnel to police it daily, than it should be day use only. Also heard from many people that live around that area say that it became a nuisance last year

Please protect our land and residents.

The use of this area as indicated is blatantly irresponsible and cannot be tolerated. The Flathead River is a precious gift and must be treated as such. Stop the insanity.

Good neighbors: If the government won't protect our property rights and way of life then the social compact has failed and we need to defend them for ourselves. Let's form a militia. The Blankenship militia. Go down there this summer and run those miscreants off. Crack a few heads if need be. If the government fails to perform its duty this is the only way we can reclaim our neighborhood. I am fed up with what happened down at the bridge last summer. Who's with me?

This use must be stopped immediately! Thanks so much.

There needs to be some checks and balances - the area was stressed last year from overuse.

Keep this beautiful river clean!

We are in agreement with Jim Farley, Frank Lowe and others. This is a great area for the day but not as an unsupervised camping area.

agreed, this has to stop, irresponsibility can no longer put us at risk.

5 years ago Featured

There are plenty of designated camping areas with proper facilities. No need for camping and trashing out this pristine river. This is one of the few rivers left for bull trout and it needs to be protected.

5 years ago Featured

What began as a few casual campers has become overuse by many dozens each night, and has destroyed the ecology of the area with campers making little or no attempt to clean up after themselves and ruining a wild and scenic area with trash and human waste, in short, a pigpen. Stop it.

Immediate action should be taken to halt this abuse and degrading of a wild and scenic area, and fire hazard. The pollution is despicable.

5 years ago Featured

A lot of Flathead Valley residents used to use this area as a day use site, that all ended last year with an influx of campers on the gravel bar utilizing all the space. What they left behind was trash, human waste, illegal camp fire rings and a disrespect for a wild and scenic river. In my opinion ending overnight camping would restore it back to it’s original status and permitted use on a Wild and Scenic River Corridor.

A flagrant violation of the spirit of a "wild and scenic" corridor. The USFS should be ashamed of this seasonal slum!

5 years ago Featured

With dozens of homes on Rabe Road and Talon Trail a quarter mile from the gravel bar, a wildfire would be disastrous.

Action needed to protect the river and the neighborhood around the bridge. Long overdue!

Environmental Disaster!

The human waste and trash is auful around that area!!! Plus, the bonfires people have are a serious wildfire hazard!

Please stop the camping on Blankenship bridge gravel bar it is not safe

I support designating the gravel bar for day use only. With its surging popularity as a camp site, the Flathead National Forest must act to protect the Wild and Scenic River from pollution and fire risk. “It’s appalling, no doubt about it." https://flatheadbeacon.com/2020/08/04/blankenship-bridge-camping-usage-triples-amid-pandemic/