Text from Interesting article below is from the Roanoke Times.......

National forest officials have brought charges against 39 off-road enthusiasts who like to gun, spin and slog their four-wheel-drive vehicles through woods and meadows.

The practice, known as "mud-bogging," has caused about $30,000 worth of damage to a section of the Jefferson National Forest in Botetourt and Craig counties, said Woody Lipps, law enforcement patrol captain for the forest service.

Most of the people charged in recent weeks were given summonses to appear in federal court on charges of driving their vehicles off a designated road and damaging government property or resources.

Other charges include drunken driving and underage possession of alcohol.

Mud-boggers apparently revel in spinning their tires to throw around as much mud as they can, causing particular damage to open areas that forest officials have cultivated to foster wildlife.

"This has taken years to accomplish," Lipps said of the affected areas. "And now it's a mudhole where we have to start over."

Mud-boggers usually drive traditional sport utility vehicles or souped-up pickup trucks with oversized tires.

Most of the offenders have been four-wheeling at night and on weekends on Patterson Creek Road, which runs along Caldwell Mountain in Botetourt and Craig counties.

Forest officials have closed a 6.5-mile stretch of Patterson Creek Road, which is accessible from Virginia 606, indefinitely.

Until recently, vehicles had been permitted on the road. But much of the mud-bogging damage has happened when the offenders decide to leave the road and take their vehicles on cross-country routes.

While some of the cases will be handled in state court, most of the offenders will be required to appear in U.S. District Court in Roanoke, where they will likely face fines.

"We are committed to stopping this abuse of the national forest, and we intend to make those convicted pay to repair the damage," said John Price, a forest service law enforcement officer.

A few to ruin it for most....

I hate seeing articles like this....

Sounds like this was from a VA/NC print article. Wonder where at this is occuring and I hope that they dont shut all of the off roading areas down because of these a-holes.

This text was copy and pasted out of the Roanoke Times. I have lived in Arizona my whole life except for 9 months which I moved to Roanoke. Actually I lived in the Troutville area which is just north and right on the edge of the mountains. Talk about awesome country, you can go out 4x4ing and cross like 30 different streams within a few hours. I really miss Virginia but I don't miss the weather.

im glad this happened, perhaps if more of these rednecks with their chevy 2500s and boggers get arrested/ heavily fined it will prevent other idiots that are like them from doing the same. leave the woods to the people who respect it and dont just go out there to get drunk and sling mud.