Okla. Admin. Code § 725:30-18-3

Current through Vol. 42, No. 4, November 1, 2024

Section 725:30-18-3 - [Effective 11/1/2024] McGee Creek Natural Scenic Recreation Area - McGee Creek State Park

(a) The Natural Scenic Recreation Area is a unique 8,900 acre natural recreational resource authorized by Congress as a feature of the McGee Creek Project. The Natural Scenic Recreation Area was formulated, through a public involvement process, based on four concepts:

(1) a quiet water zone,

(2) a wilderness-type recreational experience,

(3) non-motorized activities, and

(4) preservation of natural and cultural resources.

(b) In compliance with environmental resource use regulations as defined by the United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, the following interim rules shall apply to the McGee Creek Natural Scenic Recreation Area of McGee Creek State Park:

(1)Access to the Natural Scenic Recreation Area. Access to the Natural Scenic Recreation Area is authorized by Permit only and available at the entrance station and park office. The purpose of the Permit system is to minimize environmental impacts in the Natural Scenic Recreation Area. Permit issuance is based upon the number of persons individually or in a group until the maximum daily limit is reached. The maximum daily limit may be adjusted based upon the changes in the number of miles of designated trails, updated user group ratio data, and/or adjustments in response to the results of the ongoing monitoring program, including user surveys. Maintenance of trails by the different user types is considered in setting the maximum daily limit. Permits are issued for each user type and are not transferable or interchangeable.

(A) The following table defines maximum daily limits (users/mile/day):

(B) The Department has the discretion to temporarily restrict use within the Natural Scenic Recreation Area under certain circumstances such as severe weather conditions, high fire danger, trail maintenance, special events and other approved uses.

(2)Day use permits. Half (1/2) of the full day permits may be reserved up to ninety (90) days in advance. Halfday permits are issued on a first-come, first served basis only. Any reserved Permitnot picked up by 10:00 a.m. of the date of issue will be released for use by others unless previous arrangements have been made.

(3)Overnight camping. Camping in the Natural Scenic Recreation Area will be by Permit only and be restricted to specified areas. When the Permit is issued, users will be provided with a map of the Natural Scenic Recreation Area indicating the location of their reserved/assigned camp area for each night of their stay. Users shall park their vehicles in a secured parking area at the Natural Scenic Recreation Area entrance and enter the Natural Scenic Recreation Area from the trail-head access only. The camper maximum daily limit will indicate the maximum number of campers allowed throughout the Natural Scenic Recreation Area at any given time. Half (50%) of the daily camping permits may be reserved up to ninety (90) days in advance. The remaining camping permits shall be issued on a first-come, first-served basis up to the maximum daily limit. Individual party size shall be limited to a maximum of twelve (12) persons per campsite for sanitary reasons. Camping permits not picked up by the opening of business of the second day of the Permit may be released for others to use. Persons arriving after the close of business hours shall camp in the McGee Creek State Park camping areas and obtain the Permit the next day. The maximum length of stay for each Permit is four (4) days, beginning with sunup of the day the Permit is issued and ending at sunset of the last day. Camping permits may be renewed depending on availability, and only if the camper maximum daily limit has not been reached.

(4)Water access permits. Permits for water access for hiking and camping shall be permitted in accordance with (2) and (3) of this subsection. Some campsites may be designated for water access users only. Vessels may be anchored, tied to shore, or carried to the campsite for storage. Construction of racks or bars for dry storing of vessels is prohibited. Use of internal combustion engines within the quiet zone is prohibited. Electric motors, paddles, poles, or sails are allowed.

(5)Equestrian Permit Permits for equestrian access shall be permitted in accordance with (2) and (3) of this subsection. Some campsites may be designated for equestrian users only. Horses tethered to trees or structures are prohibited. Hobbles or ground tying is prohibited. Use of feed bags and picket lines are required adjacent to the designated camping area. Horses shall be kept in the campsite only as long as it takes to unpack or pack them. Users shall not be allowed to turn their horses loose to graze. Horses shall not be left unattended for more than a few hours. Stallions are prohibited. Since all trails open to equestrian use will be multi-use, horse droppings shall be dispersed off the trails. Horse droppings at the camp sites shall be buried. Tying up horses overnight within one hundred (100) yards of any body of water or creek is prohibited.

(6)Multi-use trails.

(A) With the limited number of miles of trails available, all groups shall be required to use the main trails. Equestrians shall be limited to logging roads or trails designated for equestrian use only. Bicyclists may be allowed on designated trails that are appropriate for their use. The remainder of the trails shall be restricted to hikers only. Any additional proposed trails shall be mapped and their use approved by the Bureau of Reclamation before they are opened. National accepted trail etiquette will apply to the Natural Scenic Recreation Area and any other guidelines posted at the trail head.

(B) Trail signage shall consist of painted blazes on trees and routed wood signs. The blazes shall be color coded by U.S. Forest Service Standards to indicate which user type can access that trail. The blaze shall be located at eye level to a hiker and, if possible, spaced so as to be in sight of the next marker. Routed wood signs shall be kept to the absolute minimum needed to identify junctions and campsites. These and other types of signs and their locations shall be submitted for approval by the Bureau of Reclamation.

(7)Fire. The use of wood fires shall be restricted to fire pans or fire blankets. Fire rings or pits are prohibited. Natural deadfall will be the only source material. Cutting of standing trees or large logs is prohibited. No axes or other large cutting implements shall be allowed into the area except for maintenance by Department staff and assignees. Campers entering the area shall be required to show that they have in their possession a fire pan, fire blanket, or backpackers stove before they are allowed to proceed. Ash and other residue from the fire will be disposed of as follows: large chunks of unburned wood will be buried; debris will be removed from the ash and packed out; ash will be dispersed outside the camp area over as much ground as possible. Disposal of ash within 100 yards of any body of water or creek is prohibited.

(8)Disposal of human waste. Disposal of human waste shall be accomplished by the use of cat holes. Every camper entering the area shall be required to have (or share) a small hand shovel for this purpose. Digging cat holes within 50 feet of any campsite or 100 yards from a body of water, creek or spring is prohibited. Large group latrines or pits are prohibited.

(9)Llamas. Until an in-depth study of llama activity can be conducted, llamas will be treated as pack animals. Restrictions set forth in (5) of this subsection shall apply to llamas.

(10)Quiet water zone. An internal combustion engine in the zone is prohibited. Electric motors shall be allowed and there will be no limit to the number of vessels accessing the zone. Any boater wanting to access the land portion of the Natural Scenic Recreation Area, other than the immediate shoreline area, shall be required to get a Permit before entering the quiet water zone. Signage stating the rules shall be posted at the junction of the Permit station road, the Grassy Hollow access road, the Grassy Hollow boat ramp, and the start of the quiet water zone which is defined by floating signs.

(11)Special events. Permitting of a limited number of periodic special large group events (except on holiday weekends) will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

(12)Natural Scenic Recreation Area restrictions. In addition to the restrictions and prohibitions set forth in (1)-(11) of this subsection the following prohibitions shall apply to the Natural Scenic Recreation Area:

(A) The use of motorized vehicles except emergency and maintenance vehicles.

(B) Development and construction unless authorized by the Bureau of Reclamation.

(C) Trace backpacking rules.

(D) Access to the Ferndale Bog area without prior authorization of the Manager and Director with concurrence of the Bureau of Reclamation.

(E) Pets of any kind except horse and pack animals.

(F) Using any area except designated trails and camping areas.

(G) Removal of artifacts and plants.

(13)West Buffer Zone. The 1,200 acre portion of the Natural Scenic Recreation Area west of the McGee Creek is jointly managed by the Department and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding dated September 14, 1987. All use and development within the 1,200 acres is subject to the same Natural Scenic Recreation Area environmental quality concepts previously discussed. No trails will be developed within the 1,200 acre area for the interim operating plan. Accordingly, only wilderness type hunting will be allowed initially with access by Permit only from the Wildlife Management Area. Appropriate signs will be posted to identify the area and notify users of applicable rules and regulations. Although no Maximum Daily Limit limits are included in the initial interim operating plan (the maximum daily use to date has been 6 hunters), the use levels and associated impacts will be informally monitored. If necessary, a hunter Maximum Daily Limit may be established prior to implementation of the final Resource Management Plan.

(14)Natural Scenic Recreation Area rules. All rules defined in this Chapter shall apply to the Natural Scenic Recreation area.

Okla. Admin. Code § 725:30-18-3

Added at 10 Ok Reg 3235, eff 6-25-93; Amended at 27 Ok Reg 2586, eff 7-25-10

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 39, Issue 24, September 1, 2022, eff. 9/11/2021

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 41, Issue 23, August 15, 2024, eff. 11/1/2024