State closes off vehicle access to Sumas Mountain after incidents of environmental damage
In response to illegal trails, garbage dumping and timber theft, the Washington Department of Natural Resources is closing Sumas Mountain to motor vehicle access starting Friday, Dec. 15. This will affect the 14,000 acres of forest around Sumas Mountain.
“We have worked hard to keep Sumas Mountain open to recreators, but there continues to be environmental damage to the public resources in this area,” DNR Northwest Region Manager Jay Guthrie said in a news release issued Thursday. “We know and appreciate that most people follow the rules while recreating, but due to recurring instances of unsafe activities and illegal use over the last two years, we need to ensure that we protect this valuable area.”
Unsanctioned trails impact fish by delivering sediment to streams.
The mountain will likely be closed until the 2024 hunting season, sometime around late summer, according to Kenny Ocker, DNR communications manager. The area will remain open to people willing to walk in.
This is not the first time DNR has had to close Sumas Mountain to vehicle access due to environmental damage. In 2022, the mountain was closed for most of August to clean trash and abandoned vehicles from the property, at a cost of more than $10,000.
This story was originally published December 14, 2023 at 12:30 PM.
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