WBIW.com News - local

Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana

Hoosier National Forest Looking For Public Comments On Permanent Closing Of Springs Valley Campground

Last updated on Monday, May 1, 2017

(BEDFORD) - An emergency closure of the Springs Valley Campground in Orange County was implemented at the beginning of May due to safety concerns from recent flooding.

The unpredictable and recurring nature of this flooding has prompted a tentative decision to permanently close this campground. The vault restroom facilities and boat ramp at Springs Valley Recreation Area will remain open for public use.

Springs Valley Lake (also known as Tucker Lake) annually floods this campground and washes large debris into the area. In previous years, Forest Service employees have worked to clear this debris and keep the campground open. However, increasing safety concerns due to unusually large amounts of debris and precipitation have led to the current emergency closure, and the potential for future emergency closures. Safety concerns for the campground area involve both potential damage of camping equipment and personal injury.

Other camping areas are available nearby in Orange County, including other Hoosier National Forest (NF) facilities and Indiana State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) facilities. The Hoosier NF's Shirley Creek Horsecamp and Youngs Creek Horsecamp are located near Springs Valley Lake. While both campgrounds are designed for horse camping, all visitors are welcome to use the facilities. The Newton-Stewart State Recreation Area, located on the south side of Patoka Lake, is an Indiana DNR facility open to the public. For a fee, it offers camping, lake access, and day-use opportunities for recreation. The Hoosier NF also allows dispersed camping (camping not in a designated campground) on most areas of the Forest.

The Hoosier National Forest would like to hear from Forest-users about this proposal to permanently close the Springs Valley Campground. We will be accepting public comments until June 16th. To submit your comments, please, contact Nancy Myers, Tell City Ranger District Recreation Program manager at 812-547-9241 or nmyers@fs.fed.us.

1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com

© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Click here to go back to previous page