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Kane County staff say Forest Service will open Robinson/Wabasha Canyon as 50‑inch ATV trail under draft decision
Summary
County staff told the Resource Development Committee a Forest Service draft decision would open the Robinson/Wabasha Canyon route as a 50‑inch‑wide ATV trail, allowing a categorical NEPA exclusion and restoring ATV access now while leaving open a possible future road upgrade.
A staff member told the Kane County Resource Development Committee on May 7 that the U.S. Forest Service has prepared a draft decision to open the Robinson/Wabasha Canyon route as an ATV trail 50 inches wide.
"Let's open this as an ATV ATV road 50 inches wide for now," the staff member said while describing the draft and the agency’s intent to use a categorical exclusion so the route would not be delayed by a multi‑year NEPA travel‑management review. The staff member said the district ranger, Christopher Worley, intends to present the draft to county commissioners before signing it.
Committee members described the outcome as pragmatic but imperfect for residents who had sought a full vehicular road. One member said the narrower designation could feel "anticlimactic" for people who had hoped to restore full vehicle access, while others framed it as a win because it restores recreation and access immediately.
The staff member said the county would maintain the route if the Forest Service opens it as a trail and outlined planned access controls: "There will be their 50 inch gate there and then next to the 50 inch gate will be a normal size gate for access and maintenance," the staff member said. Members emphasized that the county will do "due diligence to make sure it's not used by anything wider than 50" and described pinch points and barriers to discourage larger vehicles.
County staff and members also discussed downstream options: opening the route as a trail would not prevent a future upgrade to a road, but converting it later would probably require the Forest Service to revisit its travel‑management plan, a process that could be lengthy and uncertain. The staff member warned that making the feature a road later could trigger additional analysis and possible delays.
Committee members asked staff to schedule an in‑person presentation with the district ranger so commissioners can review any final edits before the ranger signs the decision. The committee did not take a formal vote on the draft decision at the May 7 meeting.
The committee’s next procedural steps include arranging the ranger’s presentation and coordinating a site map and maintenance plan; staff said they will follow up with the commissioners to set a date for the Forest Service to present the draft.
