A section of Clagstone Meadows, a well-known expanse of timber in Bonner County just off U.S. 95 between Coeur d’Alene and Sandpoint, will soon be open to the public.

Under the terms of a new Forest Legacy conservation easement, the area will benefit wildlife, local economies, clean water, and recreation and will be protected permanently.

At 13,169 acres, the property’s forests produce thousands of board feet of timber to local mills. The fields, wetlands, forests and ponds provide important habitat for a variety of big game species. Elk, black bear, moose, mountain lion, bobcat and large numbers of white-tailed deer are found on the easement and will soon be open to the general public for outdoor recreation.

Clagstone Meadows is Stimson Lumber Company’s largest contiguous holding in Bonner County. The land will continue to be owned and managed by the Stimson Lumber Company. Stimson is a family-owned business that is one of the oldest continuously operating integrated wood products companies in the United States. Stimson has managed timber in Idaho for several decades, giving local families well-paying jobs and keeping timber mills in production — both crucial to the local economy.

As part of the easement, 8,847 acres of Clagstone Meadows and 1,263 acres within the Cape Horn area will be open for conditional public use. Year-round recreational opportunities will be available for the public starting Aug. 1. Visitors will be required to register daily at 1 of 4 access points. Only non-motorized daily use will be permitted. Horses are excluded under the easement.

Additional use rules will be posted and provided to public at the access sites and online.

Stimson Lumber Company has reserved 4,322 acres of the Clagstone Meadows for company use. That area is inside the Forest Legacy easement; however, no public access will be allowed on that portion. Clagstone Meadows remains private property and is still very much working timberland. Visitors are asked to please respect Stimson’s lands, forest operations, equipment and infrastructure, and to stay out of the Stimson Reserve area. Signs, including area maps and public use information are now being made. Access sites are being developed. Stimson Lumber Company and the Easement Partners have determined that no visitors will be allowed until Aug. 1.

Please be safe and enjoy the natural resources the Clagstone Ranch has to offer in the near future.

For additional information, check the Idaho Department of Fish and Game website: fishandgame.idaho.gov; or, contact JJ Teare at (208) 769-1414.

Phil Cooper is a wildlife conservation educator employed by Idaho Fish and Game in the Panhandle Region.