DNR closes Sumas Mountain to vehicles, couldn’t ‘keep up with the scope of the destruction’

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has temporarily closed the area around Sumas Mountain in Whatcom County to cars and other motor vehicles after unsanctioned trails caused environmental damage, garbage dumping, and other public safety issues.

“Unsanctioned trails and illegal dumping have been an issue in the Sumas Mountain Block for some time, though the increasing pressure on public lands for recreation that started during the pandemic exacerbated that,” said Kenny Ocker, Communications Manager for DNR.

Sumas Mountain has previously been under threat of constant logging as well.

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Entrances will reopen Sept. 1 for hunting season and remains open for walk-in dispersed recreation. DNR staff will use the month of August as an opportunity to gauge whether the problems have improved enough in order to reopen it to motor vehicles.

“Closing vehicular access to our public lands is a last resort for us at DNR,” Ocker said. “We only do so when everything else hasn’t worked to get the public to be responsible when outdoors.”

Staff previously attempted to block off illegal trails by using heavy equipment while cleaning up garbage dumped throughout the area, but the damage became too much alongside working with limited financial resources.

“We could no longer keep up with the scope of the destruction,” said Ocker.

DNR has spent approximately $10,000 on cleanup and the blocking of trails. The costs were primarily staff time, equipment costs (fuel, maintenance), hauling off garbage, and the boulders used to re-close some trails, according to Ocker.

Illegal trails altering from the main road have caused geographic and environmental issues beyond the large amounts of litter. According to DNR, sediment from the illegal trails runs down to fish-filled streams, polluting the water alongside increased environmental damage from vehicles.

“Plenty of trees have been damaged by illegal dumping or have been poached from state lands,” Ocker said. “Some of the unauthorized trails are so damaging to the landscape that they will permanently alter how water flows down the mountain.”

There have not been active concerns with homelessness and illegal camping in the Sumas Mountain block, and have not been cited as part of the issue.

DNR manages the 14,000 acres of forests around Sumas Mountain to raise revenue to support statewide K-12 school construction, Washington State University, and critical local services in Whatcom County.

Staff members are working with neighbors and various groups in hopes of creating volunteer partnerships that will mitigate these issues in the future.

“We look forward to working together to protect Sumas Mountain so that everyone can enjoy it,” said Jay Guthrie, Manager of the DNR Northwest Region.