13,000 Acres Open To The Public!

When a 23-acre property in Idaho went up for sale, most people saw a small parcel of land. But one local community member saw something much bigger: a gateway to over 13,000 acres of otherwise inaccessible public land on Elk Mountain.

They tipped off the folks at onX and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), setting off a chain of events that would take years to fully unfold, but would ultimately result in one of the most meaningful public access wins in recent memory.

onX founder Eric Siegfried, a hunter and avid outdoorsman himself, understood the opportunity immediately. A small parcel like this one, already touched by a public road, could unlock an enormous expanse of land for hunters, hikers, and anyone who cherishes the wild. But there was a hitch: the land was priced at market rate, and government agencies like the BLM or nonprofits like RMEF are typically restricted to paying only the appraised value.

Rather than let the opportunity slip away, Siegfried stepped in, negotiated the purchase, and held the land while RMEF and the BLM worked through the complex process of transferring ownership and formalizing public access.

Fast forward to today: the land is officially in public hands, and visitors are already exploring the new terrain. In fall 2024, volunteers, including members of the onX team, joined RMEF for a trail-building day, installing a footbridge and trailhead infrastructure to ensure the land is not only open, but welcoming.

This story is a perfect example of how access to public land happens: it takes insight, action, and patience. It takes people who know the land, understand the stakes, and are willing to stay with it until the gates swing open.

As outdoor users, we often walk through trailheads and into wild places without knowing the stories behind them. But behind nearly every piece of accessible land is a team of people who made it happen. This project is a reminder that small actions like a phone call, a day of trail work, or a decision to invest, can lead to massive results.

Here’s to more access, more wild places, and the people who fight to keep them open.