The White River National Forest is seeking public comment on a comprehensive wildfire-fuel reduction and recreation-improvement proposal for the popular area known as the “Frisco Backyard.”

The Frisco Backyard is a 3,026-acre area of the White River National Forest south and east of downtown Frisco that includes Mount Royal, Miners Creek, Rainbow Lake, Ophir Mountain and Gold Hill. 

A history of wildfire suppression and the mountain pine beetle epidemic have created high fuel loads in this area, increasing wildfire risk to the town of Frisco and its residents. The area is also heavily used for outdoor recreation year-round, seeing over 250,000 annual visits.

The detailed and analyzed proposal is presented in a draft environmental assessment, which is available for public comment. The proposal includes:

• 1,576 acres of various wildfire fuel treatments divided into 63 treatment units. 
• Creating a more sustainable summer trail system through actions such as constructing or rerouting trails, decommissioning trail sections and adopting and maintaining select user-created trails. 
• Grooming approximately 10.2 miles of National Forest System trails and non-NFS routes during the winter for multiple uses (skiing, snowshoeing, hiking/walking, running, bicycling, etc.). All trails open to bicycles during the summer season would be open to bicycles during the winter season, which is currently prohibited. 
• The Peaks/Zach’s Stop Trailhead and Miner’s Creek Trailheads would be redesigned and improved to better manage parking and reduce impacts to adjacent neighborhoods. 

All comments need to be received by May 5 with the exception of some aspects of the fuel treatments, which have a 60-day comment period per Forest Service regulations. More details about the comment period and project are available at Fs.USDA.gov/project/?project=63395.

The town of Frisco and the White River National Forest will be hosting an informational open house on the project on Wednesday, April 9, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Frisco Day Lodge at 621 Recreation Way.