§ 8560.4-3 - Access.

(a) States or persons, and their successors in interest, who own lands completely surrounded by a wilderness area shall be given such rights as may be necessary to assure adequate access to such lands, or the private or State land shall be exchanged for federally owned land of approximately equal value within the same State under authorities available to the Secretary of the Interior.

(b) Persons with valid mining claims or other valid occupancies wholly within wilderness areas shall be permitted access to such surrounded occupancies by means that are consistent with the preservation of such wilderness and that have been or are being customarily used with respect to other such occupancies surrounded by wilderness. Permits issued under 43 CFR part 2800 or 2880, or plans approved under 43 CFR subpart 3809 by the authorized officer shall prescribe the routes of travel to and from the occupancies surrounded by wilderness, the mode of travel, and other conditions reasonably necessary to preserve the wilderness areas.

(c) No roads shall be constructed across wilderness areas unless permitted by the authorized officer. Access by routes or modes of travel not available to the general public may, when fully justified, be permitted by written authorization of the authorized officer. The authorization shall prescribe routes and modes of travel which will result in impacts of least duration and degree on wilderness characteristics, and at the same time, serve the reasonable purposes for which the lands are held or used.