Bureau of Reclamation enforcing vehicle restrictions on Hot Springs Wildlife Management Area of Lake Cascade

January has been very cold and has brought virtually no snow to Valley County, which has been great for ice conditions on Lake Cascade but has created issues for unauthorized use of Bureau of Reclamation land surrounding the reservoir.  Anglers have begun creating a parking area on the Hot Springs Wildlife Management Area along Stonebraker Lane near the Sugarloaf State Park Unit - an area where vehicle use is prohibited by the Bureau of Reclamation’s management plan for Lake Cascade (Lake Cascade Resource Management Plan, 2002). 

In the Bureau of Reclamation’s management plan, land surrounding Lake Cascade falls into one of three categories: Recreation sites, Conservation Open Space, or Wildlife Management Area. All Bureau of Reclamation recreation sites are managed by Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation for recreational use. The other two categories primarily serve other purposes, and vehicular use is not permitted in those areas.  

The Bureau of Reclamation is officially looking to prohibit further vehicle use on the Hot Springs Wildlife Management Area. Their staff have posted the area as closed to vehicle traffic and has implemented the closure, effective immediately. In addition, the snowmobile access gate immediately adjacent to this location has been closed in order to prevent further unauthorized vehicular use though that gate. These issues have occurred as a direct result of low snow and users traveling where vehicular use is strictly prohibited.  

As soon as snow prevents further vehicular travel down Stonebraker Lane, this snowmobile access gate will be re-opened - perhaps that will be after this weekend. In the meantime, Fish and Game will maintain the Access Yes! parking area at the entrance to Stonebraker Lane, and access is allowed at the Sugarloaf Boat Ramp and at the small pullout on Bureau of Reclamation land at the top of the hill until those locations are no longer accessible due to snow. Keep in mind that Stonebraker Lane is not maintained during winter. 

Please help promote responsible and appropriate use of this area, by adhering to Bureau of Reclamation rules associated with land use around Lake Cascade. Approved and maintained access areas managed by Idaho Parks and Recreation are located at Blue Heron, Van Wyck, Boulder Creek, and Poison Creek. The Fish and Game Access Yes! location at the entrance to Stonebraker Lane is also a maintained access site.  

For more information about winter access on Lake Cascade, please contact the McCall IDFG office – (208) 634-8137, the Lake Cascade State Park office – (208) 382-6544, or the Middle Snake Bureau of Reclamation office – (208) 383-2251.