On Green Bay day use closure: Public lands are for the public

By Heidi Dorman
Reader Contributor

I read with disbelief in last week’s Reader about the closure of day use at Green Bay by the United States Forest Service. I live in the surrounding neighborhood and swim and kayak at Green Bay throughout the season. It is abhorrent and in direct opposition to the Public Land Trust to disallow public access to water and beaches (below the ordinary high-water mark). 

According to the new mandate, I will not be able to set foot on either of the two expansive beaches without a pre-purchased camping permit. They will be enforcing even boat traffic who pull up along the shoreline [News, “Green Bay campground closed to day use,” Sept. 17, 2026].

Green bay is an iconic treasure in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest that belongs to all citizens. As a taxpaying citizen, I have an inalienable right to access and swim in Lake Pend Oreille, which defines Bonner County. Our region is surrounded by water, yet there is very little public access. This action by the Forest Service will also negatively impact the county-owned park at Garfield Bay, which is already overcrowded with locals and tourists alike. Garfield Bay’s small beachfront will continue to degrade with increased use.

According to the Forest Service, the reason for the day use closure is to give the campers of the 16 campsites a better and less crowded beach experience. The article also stated that members of the public were walking through people’s campsites. A proactive and sensible approach would be to simply post a few signs to remind people to stay on the designated access trail to the beach, which most people adhere to. 

In addressing the issue of crowds, I wholeheartedly appreciate the revamping of campsites, the expanded parking lots and the provision of a full-time, volunteer host who helps keep the area clean and manageable. 

I recently spent a midweek afternoon at Green Bay during the height of summer tourist season (Monday, Aug. 17). All of the campsites on the larger beach were still unoccupied by the time I left at 3:30 p.m. There were about a dozen or so day users who were recreating at the beach. 

Do the busy days warrant the closure of day use throughout the season? Does the revenue from the 16 campsites available at $15 per night outweigh the loss of recreational opportunities and the subsequent loss of tourist dollars? I think not. The Forest Service needs to meet the needs of all the people, not just those who are able to camp. Public lands are for the public. It’s as simple as that.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day (Saturday, Sept. 26) by voicing your opposition to this closure.

Heidi Dorman is a Bonner County resident.