13,000 Acres of Public Land Unlocked on Elk Mountain, Idaho
When a 23-acre property came up for sale that would unlock over 13,000 acres of public land, onX Founder Eric Siegfried jumped at the opportunity to help. The film below outlines how the project came together in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF).
Eric Siegfried, onX Founder, Helps Open Access in Idaho
The story of securing access on this Elk Mountain property goes back a few years. A member of the Carey, Idaho community understood the key access points, saw the listed property, and contacted onX and RMEF about it. What stood out about this property was that a relatively small parcel of 23 acres was able to open a vast 13,000-acre landscape, and a public road already touched the property.
“As a hunter and someone who understands land ownership intimately, I know that small acquisitions have a big impact. Parcels that touch a public road and open access for continuity of public lands are not easy to come by. I appreciate community members who have relationships with the local landowners because they understand key access points for connectivity to public lands,” Siegfried said.
While a seemingly straightforward path would have been for the State of Idaho or the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to purchase this property, it was more complex. Appraisers will factor in nearby land sales into their market analysis. In 2020, at the time of these events, this 23-acre parcel and its adjoining 13,000 acres of access would be valued at nearly $1,000 per acre. Management agencies, such as the BLM, and non-profits can only pay appraised value, not market rate. In this case, the landowner’s asking price was the market rate, and their hands were tied.
Siegfried swiftly acted and negotiated with the landowner to purchase the property. From there, RMEF and the BLM could begin the tedious work of working with stakeholders to figure out a solution for the property. Years and many stakeholder meetings later, the BLM was able to take ownership of the land from Siegfried and open it to the public. With investment and commitment, this small piece of land became a gateway to new hunting opportunities and secured public access in perpetuity.
Acquisition First, Infrastructure Second
Often, when land is acquired with the intention of opening access for recreation, the parcel isn’t ready for visitors in its existing state. To support public visitation, various projects may be needed, like constructing a trailhead, trail building, or signage installation.
In the fall of 2024, RMEF led a volunteer day to improve the land for public accessibility. Partners and volunteers installed a footbridge and built trailhead infrastructure. An onX Adventure Forever grant helped fund the project, and onX team member Steve Beaulieu joined the crew for the work day on Elk Mountain. “As someone who has spent countless hours and miles on public land, I know firsthand how valuable it is to have access to quality habitat. I’m happy to know that our efforts on the volunteer day will be just the start of many memories created on that land,” Beaulieu said.
This project is a great example of many stakeholders working together towards a shared goal of opening public access for hunting. Sometimes, land transactions take years and can seem slow. Yet, it’s the dedication from people like our founder, the community member who tipped him off, and RMEF who instill the value of access that can take these projects from an idea to inception.