Residents urge Klamath County to reopen Spence Mountain access; commissioners weigh safety, enforcement

Residents pressed the Klamath County Board of Commissioners on March 10 to reconsider vehicle access controls at Spence Mountain, saying gates put in place after the county acquired land have barred people from areas they used for hunting and fishing.

John McFarland, who identified himself during public comment, told the board he last accessed those areas routinely before the gate was closed in 2022 and that the closure has limited longtime recreational use. "The following year was a drought year in 2021 and in 2022 the gate went closed," McFarland said, describing years of lost access and urging the commissioners to "reconsider this." He accused the county of favoring trail users and outside trail organizations over local residents and proposed limited, seasonal openings or volunteer-monitored access during hunting seasons to reduce safety conflicts.

Another resident, who identified himself as Jerry BS, said vehicular access matters for elderly and disabled residents. "We generally have two deputies for the entire county," he told the board while raising concerns about public-safety response time in remote areas.

County officials acknowledged the complaints but framed the issue as a tradeoff between public access and safety and resource constraints. A commissioner said the gate predates county ownership and was installed after repeated dumping, unauthorized camping and fire risks, and proposed possible management options including day-use-only access, dusk-to-dawn closures and cooperation with volunteer groups to monitor sites.

Board members asked staff and interested residents to meet and develop practical options before returning the issue to the board. The commissioners said they will review potential steps such as removing or replacing misleading private-property signs, exploring volunteer stewardship partnerships (names suggested by speakers included Oregon Hunters, Mule Deer Foundation and Ducks Unlimited), and considering limited seasonal vehicle access or improved road maintenance so older residents can reach favored fishing spots.

The board did not adopt a formal policy change at the meeting; instead members agreed to continue the matter at a future session after the county and stakeholders flesh out feasible management and enforcement plans.