EAST VALLEY BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN

The Mission of this organization shall be:

• To perpetuate the commonsense use and enjoyment of horses in America’s back country

and wilderness.

• To work to ensure that public lands remain open to recreational stock use.

• To assist the various government and private agencies in their maintenance and

management of said resource.

• To educate, encourage and solicit active participation in the wise use of the back-country

resource by horsemen and the general public commensurate with our heritage.

• To foster and encourage the formation of new state Back Country Horsemen’s

organizations.

We...

•  Maintain selected Forest Service trails on public lands. 

•  Hold monthly meetings for chapter business with educational programs of interest to horsemen.

•  Promote low impact Leave No Trace  principles on the trail, through presentations and Facebook reminders.

• Offer members the quarterly publication of the Back Country Horsemen of America.

•  Partner with other public land user groups to promote responsible use of our shared resources.

•  Host an EVBCH Facebook site which shares news about trail recons, work projects, trail conditions, educational events, social events, etc. available to MEMBERS ONLY.

BCHA formation took place in Montana’s Flathead Valley in January of 1973 by Ken Ausk, Dulane Fulton, Dennis Swift, and Roland Cheek. They used their specialized knowledge of stock and the back country to bring about changes and modifications to  the restrictive stock management by public officials. They began by participating in agency meetings about land use planning and regulations. Thus, the organization  became a strong voice for responsible equestrian use and continued access in our back country. These four men and their supporters never dreamed that they would become the initial developers of programs like Tread Lightly and Leave No Trace for stock. By 2020 there are 32 states with 204 active BCHA chapters consisting of roughly 13,000 members who are dedicated to keeping trails open for all on our public lands. Our chapters work closely with trail partners and local land management agencies to clear and maintain trails.