Advocating for a Collaborative Approach at Massacre Rocks

Access Fund, along with the Eastern Idaho Climbers Coalition and the Boise Climbers Alliance, is deeply involved and invested in the access issues surrounding Massacre Rocks in southeastern Idaho. Since the process began over 10 years ago, we’ve been advocating for a collaborative approach between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Shoshone-Bannock and Paiute Tribes, and other stakeholders.

No group has as powerful a connection to Massacre Rocks and the broader Cedar Fields area as the Shoshone-Bannock and Paiute peoples. Access Fund strongly supports a process that first and foremost addresses impacts on the Native American cultural resource sites, traditional cultural properties, and sacred sites located in the Cedar Field Project Area.

The BLM recently released a Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) that recommends a halt to all rock climbing in the area. But the process that Access Fund, our partners, and other user groups participated in was conducted over 10 years ago. Use patterns, user groups, resource conditions, and interested stakeholders in this project have changed in the last decade.

We have asked that the BLM withdraw the 2021 DEIS and conduct an additional scoping period that will give current stakeholders an opportunity to work on a collaborative approach with the BLM, Shoshone-Bannock and Paiute Tribes, and other stakeholders.

We’re committed to collaborating with the Tribes to find a path forward that considers whether and how climbing, along with other forms of recreation like OHV use, hiking, fishing and camping, may be managed to be compatible with the values and interests of the Tribal community.

To read Access Fund’s public comments on the 2021 draft plan, click here.