Amid federal cuts, U.S. Forest Service cuts office hours at Sawtooth field offices in Idaho
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area is home to more than 300 high-elevation mountain lakes, including this unnamed lake at the base of Thompson Peak. (Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun)
Following a series of cuts pushed by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, the U.S. Forest Service announced Friday that it is cutting back hours at several Sawtooth National Forest field offices.
As part of the announcement, U.S. Forest Service officials said they are temporarily closing the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, or SNRA, offices in Ketchum and Stanley – effective immediately – until June 16.
'The SNRA is one of the crown jewels of the national forest system and one of the crown jewels of Idaho,' Josh Johnson, central Idaho director for the Idaho Conservation League, said in a phone interview Friday. 'To not have Forest Service staff available to support visitors, help them find out where they need to go, answer questions and respond to other issues is a problem and unfortunate.'
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'You can't expect to eliminate as much forest service staff as you have and still provide essential services people are used to seeing in places like the SNRA,' Johnson added.
Forest Service officials made the announcement in a press release Friday afternoon, just hours before the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend that signals the unofficial beginning of the summer camping and recreation season in Idaho.
'The announcement comes as forest leadership works to provide the best service possible with the staffing and resources we have,' U.S. Forest Service officials said in Friday's news release.
Since he took office in January, Trump and his ally Musk have pushed for deep budget cuts and firing thousands of federal workers through the new Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
U.S. Forest Service workers have been among those fired, and in February, former U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore resigned amid the cuts, WyoFile reported.
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Scaling back Sawtooth National Forest Service office hours could have widespread effects in Idaho – a state where more than 60% of the land is public land and recreation use and activities is at historic high levels.
'The bottom line is that the current administration's efforts to save money and increase efficiencies has led to serious inefficiencies on the ground,' John Robison, public lands and wildlife director for the Idaho Conservation League, said Friday. 'The administration's understaffing the SNRA to the point they will only be open three days a week is a significant disservice for all of us who love the SNRA.'
In a Friday's press release, Forest Service officials said visitors who need help when the offices are closed will have to call and leave a message.
'Stakeholders requiring assistance from these offices outside of the listed hours should call and leave phone messages at the office from which they require services,' Forest Service officials said in Friday's press release. 'Forest staff in these offices will follow-up on all calls and messages at their earliest convenience.'
Acting Sawtooth National Forest Supervisor Shawn Robnett said the staff members the agency does have are trying to find the best way to do their jobs.
'Adjusting our office hours as we enter our busiest season allows our rangers some flexibility with their available staff to continue to carry out all aspects of our mission – caring for the land while serving people,' Robnett said in a written statement. 'Ensuring our employees are still out in the field accomplishing their work also affords our employees the opportunity to meet stakeholders where they are – out on the forest.'
Efforts to reach a Sawtooth National Forest public affairs officer for follow up information were unsuccessful Friday.
The following field office hours are in place effective immediately.
Fairfield Ranger District: Open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays.
Minidoka Ranger District: Open 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesday, and Thursdays.
Sawtooth National Recreation Area offices in Ketchum and Stanley: Temporarily closed until June 16. Both offices are scheduled to reopen three days a week from June 16 to Labor Day.
Once the office hours for reopening the Stanley and Ketchum field offices are available, they will be posted online, officials said.
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