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Pursuant to 36 CFR section 294.27(b) of the Idaho Roadless Rule, the Chief of the Forest Service may modify Idaho Roadless Areas after a 45-day public notice and opportunity to comment. The Caribou-Targhee National Forest needs to modify the boundary of the West Mink Roadless Area to relocate and expand the Gibson Jack trailhead. The Gibson Jack Trail on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest is used heavily by the public. This trailhead is the closest access for Pocatello, Idaho, residents to National Forest land. The existing trailhead does not provide adequate parking to accommodate the trail's high level of use. This has resulted in impacts to adjacent private land from vehicles being parked along the access road to the trailhead and has caused erosion and sedimentation impacts on a nearby stream. The boundary of the West Mink Roadless Area surrounds the trailhead on three sides. Expansion of the trailhead in its existing location is not feasible because of the presence of steep, erodible slopes. A closed Forest Service Road, which currently serves as a non-motorized trail, provides access to a bench approximately 700 feet west of the existing trailhead that is within the roadless area. This flat bench, just inside the roadless area, would provide adequate space to accommodate trailhead parking and for vehicles pulling ATV and horse trailers.

Proposed Action: The Forest Service proposes to modify the boundary of the West Mink Roadless Area pursuant to 36 CFR section 294.27(b) of the Idaho Roadless Rule to allow for the construction of a new, expanded trailhead. A closed Forest Service road, which currently serves as a non-motorized trail, provides access to a bench approximately 700 feet west of the existing trailhead. This flat bench, just inside the roadless area, would provide adequate space to accommodate trailhead parking and for vehicles pulling ATV and horse trailers. This modification would remove 11.4 acres from the roadless area. The Forest Service also proposes to eliminate an 18.8-acre "cherry-stem" that has been carved out of the same roadless area. This "cherry-stem" follows a closed Forest Service road, which has since been converted to a motorized trail. Incorporating these 18.8 acres into the roadless area and carving 11.4 acres out of the roadless area to accommodate the new trailhead would result in a net increase of 7.4 acres in the roadless area. These modifications would improve the area's manageability for the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The trailhead relocation would provide improved access and safety for trail users and meet current and projected recreational use.