BLM offers reward in Pine Creek vandalism investigation

PINEHURST — The Bureau of Land Management is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the identification and conviction of those responsible for vandalism and unauthorized motorized vehicle use in the Pine Creek Non-Motorized Area south of Pinehurst. 

The Pine Creek area is designated and managed for non-motorized recreation to protect adjacent private lands and public natural resources, including wildlife habitat and water quality. While the BLM manages nearby routes and areas for motorized recreation, Pine Creek is reserved to provide a different type of recreational experience. Unauthorized motorized use and damage to signs disrupt that balance and degrade the area for the public. 

The vandalism occurred during the first two weeks of April 2026 and involved the removal and destruction of signs and posts, resulting in damage to public land infrastructure. 

The area has received significant attention in recent years following a dispute over access to West Fork Pine Creek Road. The dispute began in 2020 after a private landowner blocked a segment of the route long used to access nearby BLM land. In 2022, recreation advocates petitioned Shoshone County to validate the road as public, citing historical records and long-standing use. County commissioners denied the request, and lower courts upheld the decision. 

In 2025, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled the road was established as a public road in 1909 but upheld the county’s denial of validation, finding it was not in the public interest. 

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact BLM Law Enforcement through the Law Enforcement Tip Line at 800-637-9152 or by email at [email protected]. 

The BLM manages approximately 245 million acres of public land, primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The agency also administers 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate nationwide.