Horsethief Reservoir Visitors Take Note

by Evin Oneale If a stay at Horsethief Reservoir is in your Memorial Day plans, be sure and pack your mud boots. Recent, unprecedented rainfall has made a muddy mess of much of the area surrounding the popular recreation site. "The west side road is in rough shape," Fish and Game utility craftsman Dennis Hardy said. "The heavy rains have washed away the $10,000 dollars in road repairs we completed last year." Visitors are advised to travel slowly on the west road and remain on improved roadways as off-road motorized travel is restricted at Horsethief. "Sensitive areas next to the improved campgrounds are particularly vulnerable to illegal vehicle traffic," Hardy noted. "And with all the campground improvements at Horsethief, there really is no reason for anyone to travel off-road." Thanks to the rough road conditions, one common complaint from visitors - speeding - should be a non-issue during the long weekend. "We'll be grading the road as soon as it dries out, which won't be until after the holiday," Hardy noted. With the reservoir freshly stocked with rainbow trout, fishing conditions should be excellent, a fact not lost on regular Horsethief visitors. "Anglers will comprise a large part of the big crowd we're expecting for the weekend," Hardy noted. "We're usually full by Friday afternoon." While fishing is a primary activity at Horsethief, others come to camp at the reservoir and ride motorcycles and ATVs in the surrounding area. "Folks using ATVs or motorcycles should be aware that these machines are restricted to improved roads at Horsethief, and may only be used to enter and exit the site, and that all applicable state laws apply, including helmet laws for younger riders and registration stickers," Hardy said. "And with all the private land surrounding Horsethief changing hands recently, riders are responsible to know where they are riding to avoid trespass charges."