This document Seems to suggest there will soon be extremely proscriptive rules for hiking in Red Rock. This version of the document was released just today. At first is seems to apply only to commercial interests, but language has been slipped in to restrict not-for-profit "organized groups." BLM has actually removed some of the definitions (e.g. part of the definition for "organized groups") in the past few days. Currently, no more than 50 people per day could start at all of the RR trailheads combined, if they are "organized," and special permits are supposed to take at least 180 days to process (that figure is from another document). However, unorganized groups of people would not be regulated. Ironically, the "unorganized groups" are responsible for the vast amount of dog poop, other litter, and vandalism.

This is a very confusing document. There will be a meeting at the RRCNCA Visitors' Center Feb 23, from noon-8PM, with presentations at 2PM and 6PM, supposedly to clarify. If you tell the folks at the toll booth that you are going to the meeting, they won't charge the entry fee.


In hundreds and hundreds of trips in the Red Rock backcountry, I have never seen a single BLM representative. On most trips, I see no other groups at all, once I am a few minutes away from the trailheads. I surmise that the people who wrote this document are working in a vacuum, with little knowledge of what they intend to regulate.

The document says this about non-commercial groups:

*Hiking-Organized Group non-educational: These include clubs, family groups, meet-ups,
community centers, church groups and other not-for-profits groups. This covers groups which do
not charge. Nofee, compensation for services or fund-raising would be covered in this section. No
public advertising for the event would be allowed. There would be a maximum of 15 persons per
group with at least 20 minutes between groups. No more than 50 persons per day will be allowed.
Only 1/2 of available parking per trail head would be permitted for group use.

If I read it correctly, the total number of permits for organized hiking (non-commercial, like meet-ups as quoted above) is 10 per year. And non-commercial organized mountain climbing is 5 per year.

How are they going to determine who gets those permits? Lottery? You'd have better odds at Circus Circus.

And isn't this BS. Organized 4x4 groups get 2 permits per day.