FORT PECK, Mont. -- Recreationists accessing Fort Peck Lake, Montana, and the Dredge Cuts this winter are reminded that motorized vehicles are only permitted on developed access routes, such as public roads, numbered roads, boat ramps or designated ice access routes within U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Recreation Areas. All other off-road vehicle operations are prohibited on USACE lands. This prohibition includes driving along the shoreline of Fort Peck Lake or the Dredge Cuts between the frozen lake and the high water mark except for the purpose of navigating around an ice pressure ridge or open water by the shortest route, not to exceed 1/8 mile. Motorized vehicles must be properly licensed or registered, including snowmobiles and ATV/UTVs or side-by-sides.
Once on the ice, recreationists may travel at their discretion; however, the US Army Corps of Engineers does not encourage or recommend driving on the ice at any time. Thin ice or open water may exist near springs and pressure ridges. Conditions change across the lake and throughout the winter.
In addition to recreation area boat ramps, the following designated routes are open for vehicles to access ice on Fort Peck: the road behind the Shaft Buildings; First Dredge Cuts access road south west of the Park Grove Bridge; Second Dredge north parking lot immediately south of the vault toilet; Duck Creek Road #1901 to the point. In the Pines area, vehicles can access the ice at the end of Pines Recreation Area Road #1300. Vehicle access through the old Pines Youth Camp to Fifth Coulee Bay is open when ground conditions are frozen and the gates are open.
For more information, call the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Peck Project Natural Resources staff at (406) 526-3411.
Release no. 20-011