A revised and possibly improved plan to extend the popular Maah Daah Hey Trail in the Badlands is open for public comment before a final decision is made, possibly late this summer.

The Forest Service opened the existing 100 miles of Maah Daah Hey Trail north of Medora to near the Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit in 1999.

Starting this fall, it hopes to start extending the trail south of Medora by 45 miles, down to the Burning Coal Vein Campground near Amidon.

The agency has come up with another alternate route for the trail because a record number of comments leaned heavily against the original preferred route.

People have until July 7 to make their opinion known on the revisions.

The original preferred route would have prohibited mountain biking on the trail where it passed through the Cliffs and Kendley plateaus area the agency thinks is suitable for wilderness.

Bikers would have had to dismount, get off the trail and pick it up about 10 miles later to avoid a bicycle no-go zone.

Mountain biking is one of the major uses of the Maah Daah Hey Trail, which has been attracting more than 5,000 users annually.

The revised environmental assessment keeps the original preferred route ("H"), with a minor change to go around some prime bighorn sheep habitat, but tacks on a 10-mile bypass for mountain bikers. The new route with the bypass is "J."

It might be the best of both worlds, allowing hikers and horsebackers into the heart of the potential wilderness area, while giving bikers a full shot from one end of the trail to the other.

Agency district supervisor Ron Jablonski said he wants to evaluate any more public comments before making his decision. He also says his final decision could be a combination of the alternatives.

Along with building a new trail starting this fall, the Forest Service plans to give the Burning Coal Vein Campground a facelift and upgrade what is now a single loop of primitive campsites with no services.

The assessment may be viewed online at www.fs.fed.us/r1/dakotaprairie. Anyone who wants a paper copy of the document should contact the Medora Ranger District at 99 23rd Ave. W, Suite B, Dickinson, or at 701-227-7800.

The agency is taking written, e-mailed and oral comments on the project. Anyone with questions can contact Jeff Adams at 227-7811.