Protecting Public Lands and Waters

Outdoor Alliance works to conserve landscapes that provide important outdoor experiences. Learn more about our current efforts to protect public lands and waters across the country. These vetted, popular public land protection bills would protect millions of acres of public lands and more than 6,000 river miles. Currently, there are outstanding bills to protect public lands and waters in California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Maine, and Arizona. Outdoor Alliance, our partners, and the outdoor community have worked extensively on these bills, and they will conserve valuable public lands while protecting access to climbing, paddling, mountain biking, skiing, and hiking and other outdoor experiences. Read on to learn more about the places that could be protected and what you can do to help.

Recent News

Background & Maps

WASHINGTON

Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

The Wild Olympics legislation would protect 131,900 acres of Wilderness and 457 river miles as Wild and Scenic on the Olympic Peninsula adjacent to Olympic National Park. In addition to its conservation values, the bill protects hundreds of miles of trails, scores of climbing sites, dozens of whitewater paddling destinations, and valued backcountry ski terrain.

This bill would provide lasting protection to places valued by climbers, including scrambling and climbing objectives such as Mt. Washington, Mt. Pershing, Jefferson Peak, Mt. Ellinor, and the nearby Ellinor Towers. In the spring, Mt. Ellinor is known as a destination for backcountry skiers. For whitewater paddlers, the region is unique because the watersheds that radiate out from the Olympic Mountains receive several feet of precipitation each year, providing an incredible number of river miles in a small geographic area. And for mountain bikers, the mountain biking loop trail along the Dungeness River is included within the Wild and Scenic river corridor but outside of proposed Wilderness to protect and enhance the mountain biking experience alongside conservation values.

CALIFORNIA

Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act

From the fog-shrouded redwood forests of Humboldt County to the sunny oak woodlands and grasslands of Mendocino, and the soaring peaks of the Trinity Alps Wilderness to the turquoise waters of the Wild and Scenic Smith River, this region is home to spectacular landscapes and world-renowned recreational opportunities. This bill will protect more than 300,000 acres of public land as Wilderness, designate 480 miles of new Wild and Scenic rivers, and create a special restoration area of more than 700,000 acres at the South Fork-Trinity Mad River.

The bill would establish the Elk Camp Ridge Recreation Trail, expanding mountain biking trails along the Elk Camp Ridge and in Del Norte County. It would permanently protect the South Fork Trinity River, and protect Wilderness climbing opportunities, including Land of the Lost—the closest sport climbing to Arcata and Eureka—in a special management area. In addition to the bill’s new Wild & Scenic designations for whitewater resources on the East Fork North Fork Trinity and Canyon Creek, it would protect public lands surrounding already-designated Wild & Scenic watersheds on the Trinity, Eel, and Black Butte Rivers.

Central Coast Heritage Protection Act

California’s Los Padres National Forest is a popular destination for people who love the outdoors and this bill would protect 287,500 acres of public land within the Los Padres Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument, designate 227 miles of river as Wild and Scenic, and create two new scenic areas, Black Mountain and Condor Ridge.

The bill designates a 400-mile-long Condor National Recreation Trail, supporting through-hiking and backpacking opportunities across the entire length of the Los Padres National Forest, from Los Angeles to Monterey County. The bill would also protect important and threatened wilderness characteristics around popular rock climbing areas in the Sespe Gorge along Highway 33. Paddlers support adding more miles to the Wild & Scenic Piru Creek, a waterway rare for the region that provides outstanding whitewater less than an hour drive from downtown Los Angeles. The bill protects trail corridors for numerous high priority trails identified by local mountain bikers through the Central Coast Concerned Mountain Bikers (CCCMB), an IMBA local group, and CCCMB and IMBA have worked as part of a coalition to adjust proposed boundaries in order to protect corridors for the Mono Alamar trail, the McPherson Peak Trail, and the Rinconada Creek/Mine trails. 

San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act

The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument border Los Angeles in the Angeles National Forest and provide 70 percent of the open space in the Los Angeles region.  Adding protections to this region will have enormous benefits for people who like to get outside in southern California, as well as protecting drinking water and public health in the area.

The bill is designed to protect both the landscape and popular recreation, providing frontcountry recreation for millions of Angelenos who otherwise have limited access to open space and outdoor recreation. The establishment of a nearly 50,000-acre National Recreation Area along the foothills and San Gabriel River corridor and Puente Hills will not only help improve that access, but will also ensure that these highly-popular and heavily-impacted areas receive the resources they need to be managed and maintained in a sustainable manner for the safety and enjoyment of all. It will also expand the San Gabriels National Monument by nearly 110,000 acres, establish an 8,417-acre Condor Peak Wilderness and a 6,774 acre Yerba Buena Wilderness, and expand the San Gabriel Wilderness by 2,000 acres and Sheep Mountain by nearly 14,000 acres. The proposed Sheep Mountain Wilderness additions include a segment of the famous Pacific Crest Trail and the popular East Fork Trail. Minor boundary adjustments to correct historic mapping errors would further improve this bill and ensure continued or new mountain bike access for key areas.

The Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act

The Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act will expand the current Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, improving access to public land adjacent to communities with limited green space.

OREGON

Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act

The area around the Smith River, which flows from Oregon into California, is home to legendary outdoor recreation opportunities including whitewater paddling, surfing, cycling, hiking, and backpacking.

The Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act would expand protections for the Oregon headwaters of the Smith River. The bill will protect 58,000 acres of North Fork Smith watershed in Oregon, including at least 40 miles of hiking trails, a portion of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness, and 75 miles of river and tributaries, which will be designated Wild and Scenic Rivers. The bill would also withdraw new mining claims to protect recreation resources in the area.

Oregon Recreation Enhancement (ORE) Act

Hikers, paddlers, climbers, and mountain bikers enjoy the outstanding recreation opportunities that Southwestern Oregon has to offer. The Oregon Recreation Enhancement (ORE) Act seeks to protect recreation opportunities in these areas through three important designations. The ORE Act would increase the Wild Rogue Wilderness Area to approximately 60,000 acres, expanding protections to the section of the Rogue River that many use for multi-day river trips. It would also establish the Rogue Canyon Recreation Area, protecting 98,000 acres, including areas known for paddling and hiking. The Molalla River Trails System offers approximately 20 miles of trails that are cherished by hikers and mountain bikers in Oregon. This bill would establish the 30,000-acre Molalla Recreation Area, expanding protections from the Molalla River to areas along the river corridor.

River Democracy Act

The River Democracy Act would add close to 4,700 miles of rivers and streams in Oregon to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, including incredible whitewater rivers and smaller streams and tributaries that are critical to protecting Oregon’s water quality.

In addition, this bill would expand protections for newly-designated Wild and Scenic Rivers by prohibiting new mining along river corridors and allowing for Tribal co-management. The River Democracy Act also creates a yearly fund of $30 million to support restoration and post-fire rehabilitation projects, which will improve recreation experiences on Wild and Scenic Rivers across Oregon.

Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act

The Owyhee Canyonlands of southeastern Oregon are a scenically spectacular landscape, rich in biodiversity and cultural resources, that represent one of the most significant conservation opportunities in the lower 48 states. This bill would protect multiple sections of the Owyhee that are considered nationally significant by whitewater paddlers, as well as opportunities for hiking and backpacking.

COLORADO

CORE ACT

Although the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument protected portions of the original CORE Act, a number of additional landscapes deserve protection, including the Thompson Divide, the San Juan Mountains, the Curecanti National Recreation Area, and new Wilderness areas along the Continental Divide. All of the proposed designations in the CORE Act have been carefully vetted by recreation groups, and designations protect and enhance recreational opportunities like hiking, climbing, skiing, and mountain biking.

Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act

The Dolores River in Colorado is home to world-class whitewater rafting and kayaking, remote backcountry hiking and backpacking opportunities, and popular destinations for climbing and mountain biking. The proposed legislation would establish a National Conservation Area and a Special Management Area to protect more than 68,000 acres surrounding 76 miles of the Dolores River in western Colorado. Alongside this bill is also an ongoing effort to protect the greater landscape through a national monument campaign, which has seen broad support from local residents and the outdoor recreation community.

Mount Blue Sky Wilderness Act

The Mount Blue Sky Wilderness Act would rename the Mountain Evans Wilderness in Colorado as the “Mount Blue Sky Wilderness.” The Mount Evans Wilderness is named after John Evans, who has been roundly condemned for his role in the Sand Creek massacre, and should be renamed. This landscape deserves a name which honors the area’s natural and cultural values, rather than a perpetrator of atrocities against Native Americans. The Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes have proposed using Mt. Blue Sky Wilderness as it signifies the Arapaho, as they were known as the Blue Sky People, and the Cheyenne who have an annual ceremony of renewal of life called Blue Sky.

MONTANA

Continental Divide Trail Completion Act

The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) is one of the world’s premiere long-distance trails, stretching 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada. It provides recreational opportunities ranging from hiking to horseback riding for thousands of visitors each year. While 95% of the CDT is located on public land, approximately 160 miles are still in need of protection. This legislation will help support agencies, partners, and local communities to coordinate the stewardship of lands where gaps still exist along the trail, prioritizing completion by 2028.

Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act

The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act would protect existing recreation opportunities like hiking, fishing the world-renowned Blackfoot River, and hunting in the famous Bob Marshall Wilderness, and identifies areas for new mountain bike trails, backcountry skiing, and snowmobile access. It will also add nearly 80,000 acres to the Bob Marshall, Scapegoat, and Mission Mountains Wilderness areas.

MINNESOTA

Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act

Home to more than 1,200 miles of canoe routes and 2,000 designated campsites within its million acres of lakes and forests, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is known for its incredible paddling, hiking, and fishing.

The Boundary Waters are threatened by mining, including two active mining leases on the watershed and surrounding public lands. These mines create a near certainty of serious pollution and threaten to contaminate the Boundary Waters.

The Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act will permanently withdraw over 230,000 acres of lands and waters within the Superior National Forest from sulfide-ore copper mining. Permanent protection for the Boundary Waters would protect exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities, local economies, and tribal communities for generations to come.

NEW MEXICO

Pecos Watershed Protection Act

The Pecos Watershed Protection Act would withdraw portions of the Upper Pecos Watershed from mineral development and also designate the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area. The Upper Pecos River provides numerous ecological and cultural values, as well as outstanding recreation opportunities including hiking, whitewater paddling, and climbing. The bill would protect whitewater resources between Cowles and Pecos, where the river flows through wooded high mountain canyons, barren tablelands with bluffs, and rugged rock formations. The proposed Wilderness would also protect portions of the Thompson Peak hiking trail. Proposed Wilderness boundaries would maintain access to the area’s mountain biking resources, thanks to input from mountain bikers and other recreationists.

Maps

Policy Letters