Rangers Deal With Major Annual Gathering

During the weekend of February 25th, the 38th Annual Canadian River Mud Bogs took place on adjacent state lands just outside of the park’s Rosita Flats OHV area, one of two designated off-road areas within Lake Meredith NRA. This event draws close to 14,000 people annually, with a large number of them recreating in Rosita Flats. This year, the park stepped up law enforcement in an effort to decrease visitor injuries during the event. As a result, only two visitors were transported to the hospital after a rollover accident. A total of 95 class C citations were issued during the weekend, the majority of them alcohol offenses. There were also numerous Class B charges for possession of marijuana and one felony charge for possession of cocaine. Rangers also dealt with a domestic assault and a 10-acre wildfire that damaged a fifth wheel recreational vehicle. NPS rangers were assisted by two BLM rangers and the park’s fire staff, whose quick actions prevented the spread of the fast moving wildfire on a day that saw over 75,000 acres burned within the surrounding area.