Recreation Access

Unless otherwise posted, Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) offers responsible recreational opportunities for public access on our private, working forestlands. As plans are made to recreate on our lands, it’s important to understand the rules that keep our lands safe, clean and available in the future.

SPI’s private forest lands are generally open to individual members of the public for responsible recreational use such as hiking, bicycling, fishing, hunting, or cross-country skiing as long as they are properly licensed by the State where necessary. We do not allow target shooting, trail building, off-road vehicle use, overnight camping or any fires on our property. In addition, we do not allow the taking of forest products, wildflowers, mushrooms, or other vegetative matter, non-game species, water or soil, or rock samples except by express written permission from SPI.

SPI does not allow motorized use beyond locked gates. Limiting vehicle access helps lead to:

Less erosion. We are required by law to maintain roads and protect watersheds and fisheries from erosion.
Less commercial timber loss, allowing us to help meet the demand for wood products.
Fewer fires caused by humans. During most years, California is very prone to wildfires. People start more than half of all wildland fires.

As our lands are commercial working forests, we will close areas where we are actively operating. There are also times we will close our lands to all forms of recreation due to wildfire danger and other safety concerns. Land closures will be posted and we require that the public respect closures for their own safety and the safety of those working on our lands.

Any activities conducted as a group must receive express written permission from SPI prior to entering upon the property. Commercial use is strictly prohibited without a permit.

Why we limit access:

As a fire prevention measure.
To provide for the recovery and restoration of areas impacted by wildfire.
To protect public safety, especially in active harvest areas.
To help prevent erosion of roads.
To deter illegal woodcutting.
To prevent damage to young regenerated forest stands.
To deter illegal garbage dumping.
To prevent Christmas tree theft.
To protect sensitive research project areas and equipment. Monitoring equipment has been placed in areas where research is under way. Please do not disturb it.

SPI Policy:

SPI's ownership is private property. Recreational use is available to individual members of the public, provided the property is treated with respect. We reserve the right to refuse access to anyone. Access is subject to California Penal Code Section 602 and California Civil Code Sections 846, 1008, and 1009. Please be advised that if you enter SPI's property you do so at your own risk, and SPI shall not be liable to you for any injury to person or property, in accordance with applicable state laws.

Access Methods

Many of SPI’s roads also provide access to federal lands. Roads shared with federal landowners that are designated for public use are open for recreational purposes, but federal road policies may also preclude access to protect forest resources in specific areas.
In Washington, all access for motorized vehicles is prohibited on our roads unless authorized by SPI.
In some instances, SPI installs gates to limit access where we have the sole ownership of the road or operate under cooperative agreements with State and Federal agencies.
Access behind locked gates is limited to non-motorized methods such as walking, bicycling, cross-country skiing, or horseback. E-bikes are allowed in most areas, though are prohibited in Thurston, Lewis, Cowlitz and Pacific counties in Southwest Washington.
In all areas, in an effort to protect meadows and sensitive plants and reduce erosion, vehicular use is limited to existing roads, and no access is permitted near active logging operations.
Please do not block gates which may be needed for emergency vehicle access for fire and medical reasons.

Area Closures

Aside from the closures associated with wildfire risk or active logging areas, any area may be posted as closed to public access for any number of reasons including but not limited to fire danger, recovery and restoration of an areas after a wildfire, potential road damage, wildlife protection, proximity to residential areas, facility protection or current leases or permits to others.

Make sure you obey posted signs!

Recreation Access Hotlines

SPI maintains phone hotlines with information about regional information on current public access status.

California: 530-378-8274
Oregon: 541-689-1011
Northwest Washington (Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties): 360-488-4977
Southwest Washington (Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific and Thurston counties): 360-623-1299

Applicable State Laws

California Civil Code § 846. Permission to enter for recreational purposes

An owner of any estate or any other interest in real property, whether possessory or non-possessory, owes no duty of care to keep the premises safe for entry or use by others for any recreational purpose or to give any warning of hazardous conditions, uses of, structures, or activities on such premises to persons entering for such purpose, except as provided in this section.

A "recreational purpose," as used in this section, includes such activities as fishing, hunting, camping, water sports, hiking, spelunking, sport parachuting, riding, including animal riding, snowmobiling, and all other types of vehicular riding, rock collecting, sightseeing, picnicking, nature study, nature contacting, recreational gardening, gleaning, hang gliding, winter sports, and viewing or enjoying historical, archaeological, scenic, natural, or scientific sites.

An owner of any estate or any other interest in real property, whether possessory or non-possessory, who gives permission to another for entry or use for the above purpose upon the premises does not thereby (a) extend any assurance that the premises are safe for such purpose, or (b) constitute the person to whom permission has been granted the legal status of an invitee or licensee to whom a duty of care is owed, or (c) assume responsibility for or incur liability for any injury to person or property caused by any act of such person to whom permission has been granted except as provided in this section…..[Exceptions omitted. See the code for the full code section]

Nothing in this section creates a duty of care or ground of liability for injury to person or property.

Oregon – ORS 105.682 and ORS 105.688

(1) Except as provided by subsection (2) of this section, and subject to the provisions of ORS 105.688 (Applicability of immunities from liability for owner of land), an owner of land is not liable in contract or tort for any personal injury, death or property damage that arises out of the use of the land for recreational purposes, gardening, woodcutting or the harvest of special forest products when the owner of land either directly or indirectly permits any person to use the land for recreational purposes, gardening, woodcutting or the harvest of special forest products. The limitation on liability provided by this section applies if the principal purpose for entry upon the land is for recreational purposes, gardening, woodcutting or the harvest of special forest products, and is not affected if the injury, death or damage occurs while the person entering land is engaging in activities other than the use of the land for recreational purposes, gardening, woodcutting or the harvest of special forest products. (2) This section does not limit the liability of an owner of land for intentional injury or damage to a person coming onto land for recreational purposes, gardening, woodcutting or the harvest of special forest products. [Exceptions and other details omitted. See the code for the full code sections]

Washington State - RCWA 4.24.210

Liability of owners or others in possession of land and water areas for injuries to recreation users--Known dangerous artificial latent conditions--Other limitations

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3) or (4) of this section, any public or private landowners, hydroelectric project owners, or others in lawful possession and control of any lands whether designated resource, rural, or urban, or water areas or channels and lands adjacent to such areas or channels, who allow members of the public to use them for the purposes of outdoor recreation, which term includes, but is not limited to, the cutting, gathering, and removing of firewood by private persons for their personal use without purchasing the firewood from the landowner, hunting, fishing, camping, picnicking, swimming, hiking, bicycling, skateboarding or other non-motorized wheel-based activities, hang gliding, paragliding, rock climbing, the riding of horses or other animals, clam digging, pleasure driving of off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, and other vehicles, boating, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, nature study, winter or water sports, viewing or enjoying historical, archaeological, scenic, or scientific sites, without charging a fee of any kind therefore, shall not be liable for unintentional injuries to such users. [Exceptions and other details omitted. See the code for the full code section]