Re: Juniper Flats needs your help!

In fairness to Mike Castro, he does perform special tasks in support of the Hot Springs. It is well known that he responds to many emergencies at all hours of the day and night. It would be unfair to expect him to hike the trails in these circumstances.

He does have the support of BLM and local law enforcement for this reason and is not being rewarded as a "confidential informant". It is well known that neither the BLM or the San Bernardino Co. Sheriff has the resources to give the Hot Springs the attention it needs. It benefits all that someone has the concern to perform what is usually a thankless task as the Hot Springs would likely be closed as a nuisance otherwise.

Of course, this does not give him permission to do recreational riding on illegal trails. If he is riding under those circumstances, the authorities should be expected to respond.

We have found law enforcement to be generally unresponsive in citing illegal OHV activity on Juniper Flats. The reason the controversial trail is being opened is that is has received many complaints from locals. BLM has chosen an easy, but very wrong way of responding to those complaints.