Claim Access Options

[Modern Day Miner]

I was wondering about access to a certain claim. There is a closed forest service road that goes through private property. Do I have a right to use this road/trail to access my claims.
Or is this something that would require me getting private property owners permission to go through his land to get to my claims?

Thanks
MDM

[swizz]

Hi Chad,
Yes, you have rights to use a Forest Service Road for access to your claim. If the USFS road goes through private property then stay on the road when you are using it.
If the road is gated with a lock... you'll need to contact the regional USFS office. You can either obtain a key for their lock... or they will let you daisy chain one of your own locks to it.
You don't need property owner's permission if you are not stepping on their property. FS roads are not private property.

[Modern Day Miner]

Hi Chad,
Yes, you have rights to use a Forest Service Road for access to your claim. If the USFS road goes through private property then stay on the road when you are using it.
If the road is gated with a lock... you'll need to contact the regional USFS office. You can either obtain a key for their lock... or they will let you daisy chain one of your own locks to it.
You don't need property owner's permission if you are not stepping on their property. FS roads are not private property.

Hey Chris

What if the road is closed and has been for some time.

[swizz]

Hey Chris

What if the road is closed and has been for some time.

It shouldn't matter as long as it is a US Forest Road. A number of Forest and BLM Roads have been "closed" in recent years for various reasons. "Closed" normally pertains to vehicular access for recreational vehicular travel. Your activities are not recreational, you are mining, huge difference. On my claims the BLM had "closed" and gated a couple of their roads prior to my claim ownership. I visited the regional BLM office and the next day had my own locks daisy-chained to the gates as per my mining rights and they were very cooperative. Forest roads fall into the same category in terms mining rights.

[Modern Day Miner]

It shouldn't matter as long as it is a US Forest Road. A number of Forest and BLM Roads have been "closed" in recent years for various reasons. "Closed" normally pertains to vehicular access for recreational vehicular travel. Your activities are not recreational, you are mining, huge difference. On my claims the BLM had "closed" and gated a couple of their roads prior to my claim ownership. I visited the regional BLM office and the next day had my own locks daisy-chained to the gates as per my mining rights and they were very cooperative. Forest roads fall into the same category in terms mining rights.

I did talk with the local forest service office. They said that I could drive as far as I could on the road and that I would have to hike the rest of the way in. They said that the road in question really isn't a road anymore. So we will have to see how far I can get. I don't think it will be that long of a hike.

Thanks for the input Chris.