---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 460sss"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "460sss"
heading: "Cow Mountain Recreation Area, Lake and Mendocino Counties, California"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/460sss"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter CXXX — Cow Mountain Recreation Area"
---

# §460sss. Cow Mountain Recreation Area, Lake and Mendocino Counties, California

- (a) **Establishment—** In order to enhance the recreational and scenic values of the Cow Mountain [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) in Lake and Mendocino [Counties](/usc/16/544.md?p=d), California, while conserving the wildlife and other natural resource values of the [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A), there is hereby established the Cow Mountain Recreation [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) (in this section referred to as the “recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A)”) consisting of approximately 51,513 acres of land in such [counties](/usc/16/544.md?p=d), as generally depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) entitled “Cow Mountain Recreation [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A)” and dated July 22, 2006, including the following:
  - (1) The “South Cow Mountain OHV Management [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A)”, as generally depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1).
  - (2) The “North Cow Mountain Recreation [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A)”, as generally depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1).
- (b) **Legal descriptions; correction of errors—**
  - (1) **Preparation and submission—** As soon as practicable after October 17, 2006, the [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) of the Interior shall prepare a [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) and legal descriptions of the boundaries of the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A). The [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) shall submit the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) and legal descriptions to the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.
  - (2) **Legal effect—** The [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) and legal descriptions of the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) may correct clerical and typographical errors in the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) and legal descriptions. The [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management.
- (c) **Administration—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) of the Interior shall administer the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) in accordance with this section and the laws and regulations generally applicable to the [public lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=7), including the [Federal Land](/usc/16/3102.md?p=2) Policy and Management Act of 1976 ([43 U.S.C. 1701](/usc/43/1701.md) et seq.).
  - (2) **Existing rights—** The establishment of the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) shall be subject to all valid existing rights.
- (d) **Recreational activities—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) of the Interior shall continue to authorize, maintain, and enhance the recreational use of the land included in the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A), including motorized recreation, hiking, camping, mountain biking, sightseeing, and horseback riding, as long as such recreational use is consistent with this section and other applicable law.
  - (2) **Off-road and motorized recreation—** Motorized recreation shall be a prescribed use within the South Cow Mountain OHV Management [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A), occurring only on roads and trails designated by the [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) for such use, except as needed for administrative purposes or to respond to an emergency. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as precluding the [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) from closing any trail or route from use for purposes of resource protection or public safety.
  - (3) **Mountain biking—** Mountain biking shall be a prescribed use within the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A), occurring only on roads and trails designated by the [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) for such use. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as precluding the [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) from closing any trail or route from use for purposes of resource protection or public safety.
- (e) **Access to private property—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) of the Interior shall provide any [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) of private property within the boundaries of the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) adequate access to the property to ensure the reasonable use and enjoyment of the property by the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4).
- (f) **Land acquisition—**
  - (1) **Acquisition from willing persons only—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) of the Interior may [acquire](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) lands or interests in lands in the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) only by—
    - (A) donation;
    - (B) exchange with a willing party, as expressed in a written agreement between the [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) and the party; or
    - (C) purchase from a willing seller, as expressed in a written agreement between the [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) and the seller.
  - (2) **Administration of acquired lands—** Lands or interests in lands within or adjacent to the boundaries of the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) that are acquired by the Bureau of Land Management, and title or possession of which is vested in the United States after October 17, 2006, shall be managed by the [Secretary](/usc/16/460iii–1.md?p=1) as part of the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A).
- (g) **Adjacent management—** Nothing in this section creates protective perimeters or buffer zones around the recreation [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–362, § 9, Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2071.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is Pub. L. 109–362, Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2064, known as the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note below and Tables.

The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), is Pub. L. 94–579, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2743, which is classified principally to chapter 35 (§ 1701 et seq.) of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1701 of Title 43 and Tables.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Committee on Resources of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Natural Resources of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Tenth Congress, Jan. 5, 2007.

### Short Title

Pub. L. 109–362, § 1(a), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2064, provided that: “This Act [enacting this section, amending sections 460y–8 and 1274 of this title, and amending provisions listed in a table of Wilderness Areas set out under section 1132 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act’.”