Holmes Gulch Summary

In spring 2021, PLWA received a complaint about a suspicious no-trespassing sign on the Holmes Gulch Road in the south hills of Helena where the road straddles the Lewis and Clark/ Jefferson county line.   A Helena PLWA member and volunteer, Dennis Cates, conducted a thorough investigation of this complaint, fitting the pieces of the road status puzzle together in exemplary fashion.   He collected needed facts, toured the disputed area photographing signage, and made inquiries about the road status to county, USFS, title company, and other entities involved with access issues. Through those inquiries, Dennis was able to uncover and review past court cases that dealt with the public vs. private road issue.

In June 2021, Dennis provided a summary report to the PLWA Board, along with maps, photos, court decisions, and other relevant documents.  Another PLWA member and volunteer, Dwight Young, assisted in compiling the report.  After a thorough review of his research, the PLWA Board decided that this case did not require further action by our organization due to a previous court decision that determined a portion of the road in Lewis and Clark County was private, and to the fact that access to nearby public lands was not obstructed in this case.     

A copy of the Holmes Gulch Research Report is available here and here.

PLWA’s Summer 2021 Key Quarterly highlights the volunteer efforts of Dennis and Dwight. As noted in the article, volunteers’ efforts multiply our effectiveness and accomplishments a thousand-fold.

Holmes Gulch in Pictures & Maps