Officials warn to avoid ‘unexploded munitions’ at this Central Coast monument
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Visitors to a Central Coast monument are being warned to stay on the trails due to “unexploded” munitions that could still be buried in the ground.
The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Army says visitors to the Fort Ord National Monument, south of Salinas in Monterey County, should remember that it was formerly the Fort Ord Army Base – and the clean-up of old munitions is still ongoing.
According to the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Army safety officials discovered illegal trails and jumps being built. They say it is especially dangerous because of the possibility of hazardous military munitions in the ground.
“Unauthorized trail building and use of unsigned paths at the Fort Ord National Monument is dangerous,” said Fort Ord National Monument Manager Eric Morgan. “Creating illegal routes exposes visitors to unexploded ordnance hazards, destroys endangered plants and wildlife habitat, and is costly to remedy.”
Officials say that the Ford Ord Army Base remained undeveloped thanks to its role as a U.S. Army facility from 1917 to 1994.
All routes open for safe recreational use have signage and are shown on trail maps. Specific trail rules for the area can be found on their website.
