Heading home after a most successful pack trip in the Emigrant Wilderness of the Stanislaus National Forest in California–trail boss Dennis Serpa riding Poppy and leading 3 other mules, Theis Thoming riding his Arab Jess, Jacque Alexander riding Johnny the Mule, Lee Owning riding Sato and pulling 3 mules, Karen Lopes riding her quarter horse Junior and leading Dolly, and … Read More
Back Country Horsemen of America values our nation’s beautiful landscape and works hard to protect our right to enjoy these lands by horseback. They also believe in being good stewards of this limited natural resource by practicing sound outdoor ethics, participating in trail maintenance, and sharing the trails with other users. To this end, BCH folks forge strong relationships with … Read More
As a recipient of one of the $1000.00 BCHA Grants, fifteen members of the Sierra Freepackers headed to Granite Creek on Sunday, July 5, 2015. Our original plan was to pack in to 77 Corral and start on the removal of the stock fence per the Forest Service request. After the Forest Service looked at usage of the area and that … Read More
How long does it take to tear down and replace a 1000 foot fence? Two days – if you have 30 Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) volunteers, a tractor with a backhoe, two tractors with frontend loaders, two quads with trailers plus every tool imaginable to dig post holes in rocky terrain. Bar B Q Flats, a pine forest … Read More
Do you have a service project you would like to accomplish on a nearby national forest? BCHA continues to operate under a five-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) with the U.S. Forest Service related to trail maintenance and public education and outreach. We recommend you share a copy of the MOU with your local forest. Please see the Public Lands Update … Read More
Back Country Horsemen of America highly values our wild lands and our right to enjoy them by horseback. Protecting the wilderness from unnecessary damage is imperative to keeping it pristine. But that creates unique challenges that can prevent proper maintenance of trails, bridges, shelters, and other amenities that allow us to recreate there. US Forest Service wilderness regulations prohibit the … Read More
The winner of the 2014 Double Diamond Award is the Beartooth Back Country Horsemen (BBCH) of Montana. The Beartooth Back Country Horsemen of Montana (BBCH) members won the the award for their efforts by spearheading the largest coalition of volunteers and government ever to open the Ernie Strum Trail––a trail to Lily Pad and Crater Lakes in Montana. Here is the full paper presented at the … Read More
The folks at Back Country Horsemen of America feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful country, and are dedicated to protecting our right to travel this stunning landscape by horseback, as our ancestors did. An important part of that goal is the down and dirty labor required to re-open trails and access roads after storms of rain, snow, … Read More
The United States Forest Service manages 158,000 miles of trails that provide a wide array of recreational opportunities and access to America’s National Forests. These trails provide world class opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, camping, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation. National Forest trails provide opportunities for all Americans to enjoy the peace and quiet of the great outdoors. Further, … Read More
Back Country Horsemen of California Takes the Lead in Leave No Trace Stock Use Education As they preserve our right to ride horses on public lands, Back Country Horsemen of America also embrace and promote responsible recreation. The seven Leave No Trace principles are practical guidelines to help all users make better choices to minimize the impact of their presence … Read More
