Land Use Update: Rider Action Needed to Protect Christmas Valley Dunes
Immediate action is needed. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is finalizing a new Resource Management Plan, and a closure of the Christmas Valley Sand Dunes to cross-country OHV use is on the table. The public comment period closes this Thursday at midnight, and OMRA is asking every rider to speak up right now.
OMRA is urging riders to submit a short public comment in support of Alternative D, the only option that keeps the Christmas Valley dunes open to cross-country OHV use. Submitting a comment takes less than a minute. One or two sentences is enough. Just say you support Alternative D, add your name, and hit submit.
This riding area matters.
For decades, OHV users have invested hundreds of thousands of ATV Fund dollars into making Christmas Valley a safe, well-managed, and environmentally sustainable riding area. Closing it now would erase that investment and remove one of the few accessible dune-riding opportunities in central Oregon.
Christmas Valley is also economically critical to the local community. OHV tourism helps keep this remote area alive. Unlike the Oregon coast dunes, which are far from much of central Oregon and inaccessible for many riders, Christmas Valley provides a rare and affordable opportunity for families, dirt bikes, quads, Jeeps, and side-by-sides.
Closures do not eliminate riding. They concentrate it elsewhere.
If Christmas Valley is closed, side-by-side users will be pushed into nearby areas like East Fort Rock and Prospect. These areas are already heavily used and cannot absorb additional pressure. This is a familiar and damaging pattern: force OHV use into smaller areas, then point to overuse as justification for future closures.
OMRA supports managed OHV use where designated routes are necessary to protect sensitive environments. The Christmas Valley dunes are different. These dunes naturally shift, heal, and renew themselves, and they have successfully sustained open, cross-country travel for generations.
BLM planners in this region have been supportive of OHV recreation in the past, but they need clear, documented public support now. If they do not hear from riders in favor of Alternative D, they cannot defend a pro-OHV outcome during final decision-making.
Even if you have never ridden Christmas Valley, your voice matters. Any closure sets a precedent. We cannot let another domino fall.
What to Do Right Now
Submit a public comment telling the BLM you support Alternative D
Keep it short. One or two sentences is perfect.
Don’t worry about spelling or formatting. Just send it.
OMRA has successfully preserved OHV opportunities across Oregon because riders consistently show up when it counts. This is one of those moments.
If you want to learn more or review the planning documents, BLM materials and maps for Alternatives C and D are available through their ePlanning site.
