Forest Service implements annual temporary closure of Huckleberry Mountain to honor tribal tradition

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest issued a temporary area closure on Huckleberry Mountain, including Huckleberry Campground and the surrounding area, for tribal ceremonial purposes. The Klamath Tribes, with support from the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians, requested the closure for traditional and cultural use.

The temporary closure will be implemented once per year for approximately ten days within a six-week period spanning between Aug. 1 and Sept. 15.  The closure period will vary from year to year. This year, the closure began on Aug. 16 and ended on Aug. 26.

The Forest Service issued the following statement regarding the closure, “Under the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Leadership, the intention of this closure order is to uphold and honor the request from our tribal counterparts as Trustees and acknowledging the government-to-government relationship. This event allows allocated space to honor ceremony that celebrates the relationship tribal peoples have with their ancestral lands in time-immemorial and first foods. The Forest, Region and Agency actively practice their support by celebrating this relationship along-side the sovereign nation of The Klamath Tribes and show reciprocity through the organization and planning of this closure.”

“It’s been a long time in making this happen through good coordination efforts between the Klamath Tribe and the Forest Service,” said Tribal Council Member-at-Large Les Anderson. “It’s great that we’re now able to put something together to bloom. We hope this to be a successful event and look forward to working together in future years.”

The closure exempts those with a specific authorizing permit, any organized rescue or fire fighting force performing official duty, and any member of the Klamath Tribes or those invited by the Klamath Tribes to participate in ceremonial activities.

Closure notices and road closure signs will be posted in the affected areas. A map provided identifies nearby alternative huckleberry picking and dispersed camping areas. 

“By implementing this closure, we are recognizing and celebrating tribal ceremony for our local indigenous tribes,” said Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Supervisor Molly Juillerat.

You can view the complete closure order at this link: https://bit.ly/RRSNFAlerts.