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Large Camping Area for Off Highway Motorcycle Trail Proposed in Conover

Realignment of County Highway S in the town of Conover to eliminate a number of sharp curves proposed by the county highway committee leaves the abandoned highway portion open for added camping for off highway motorcycle (OHM) users on the Tamarack Springs 22 mile system.

Forest administrator Al Murray presented a proposed design to the county forestry, recreation & landcommittee. It includes 28 individual camping areas along the abandoned portion of Highway S, at least four drive through areas for larger rigs, and a large OHM trail head and parking lot.

“With the Highway S realignment we will loose some forest land and gain some forest land on the abandoned portion,” Murray said. “This preliminary design is to establish a possible OHM access plan that will utilize the area rather than just letting it go back to nature. The major benefit is the land is flat and paved access already exists.”

A new access route may be needed to allow users to travel to Tamarack Springs system with limited use of the existing unpaved town road.

“One of the issues we need address is how to handle OHM trails with timber sales on the same property,” Murray said. “Ideally the trails should have been along timber stand boundaries.”

“Phase III of the OHM system needs to be completed by June 1,” according to Conover town board member Tom Timken. “We have to have it open at that time or we loose the funding. We have received prepayments for both the trail and pavilion which will be available for all user groups.”

Timken said there was no oak wilt in the trail but it needs to be cleaned up. Murray suggested using the county anchor chain to clear the area.

Turning to Torch Lake RV park, bids for Phase 3 are to be opened on Feb. 18 in a special committee meeting. The estimated cost to develop Phase 3 is $970,000 with the county share at about $45,000.

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