ADRIAN, Oregon — The Vale District of the Bureau of Land Management in Oregon covers an area of 5.2 million acres in seven counties, so they need help from the public to protect public lands.
Snively Hot Springs is an oasis in the Owyhee Rangeland, but it's also a day-use area and people have not been following those rules.
"So Snively Hot Springs is a really scenic, special place," said Jonah Blustain, the BLM Vale field officer. "It is a great place to bring the family and we just want to make sure everyone who uses it does so in a safe and responsible manner."
We experienced that at noon on a weekday when families enjoyed hot springs near a wildlife area, but it has been a different story during the night when the hot springs are supposed to be closed. There has been an increase in driving under the influence and a list of other problems.
“We have seen drug use, vandalism, we get domestics out there, assaults and we get sex crimes," said Stephanie Cox, a ranger with the BLM. "We want to keep it closed at night and keep it open during the day if the rules can be followed."
The BLM has put in boulders to deter people from camping at the hot springs, but that has been met with vandalism. Moving forward, the BLM and Malheur County will start writing tickets for violations.
"If we don’t see a change we will, potentially, look at a closure," said Cox.
I talked with several locals at the hot springs who told me they go out of their way to clean up trash and help take care of the hot springs. It's an important natural resource for people living in eastern Oregon and western Idaho.
If you venture out to Snively Hot Springs, leave the glass bottles at home. There are no fires allowed at the hot springs. Be sure to pack out your trash and leave the area better than you found it. It is important to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
"We are asking people to know the rules and the regulations of the area before you go," said Blustain. "We are also asking them to be courteous of the people around you and the people that will come after you."
The BLM has a lot of area to manage, so they ask the public to report illegal activity to their office or call the Malheur County Sheriff's Office.
Hot springs tend to get hit harder than other places in the outdoors. In 2016, the BLM closedSkinny Dipper Hot Springs in Boise County due to damaged natural resources creating a threat to public safety. It has never re-opened.
We have also covered the saga of Kirkham Hot Springs, which used to be a forest service campground, but it is now only a day-use area because of all the impacts.
