(a) If you own land completely surrounded by wilderness, BLM will only approve that combination of routes and modes of travel to your land that—

(1) BLM finds existed on the date Congress designated the area surrounding the inholding as wilderness, and

(2) BLM determines will serve the reasonable purposes for which the non-Federal lands are held or used and cause the least impact on wilderness character.

(b) If you own land completely surrounded by wilderness, and no routes or modes of travel to your land existed on the date Congress designated the area surrounding the inholding as wilderness, BLM will only approve that combination of routes and non-motorized modes of travel to non-Federal inholdings that BLM determines will serve the reasonable purposes for which the non-Federal lands are held or used and cause the least impact on wilderness character.

(c) If BLM approves your access route under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, we will authorize it under part 2920 of this chapter.

(d) BLM will not allow construction of new access routes to State and private inholdings in wilderness.

(e) BLM will not allow improvement of access routes to a condition more highly developed than that which existed on the date Congress designated the area as wilderness, except such improvements BLM determines are necessary to protect wilderness resources from degradation.

(f) If you own land completely surrounded by wilderness and you have a valid existing right of access which is greater than the access described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, BLM may manage such access to protect wilderness resources while ensuring your reasonable use and enjoyment of the inholding.

To reduce or eliminate the need to use wilderness areas for access to State and private land, BLM may—

(a) Accept donation of the inholding, or

(b) Acquire the inholding from the owner by an exchange for federally owned land in the same State of approximately equal value or, if the owner concurs, by purchase.

If you hold a valid mining claim or other valid occupancy wholly within a wilderness area, BLM will allow you access by means that are consistent with the preservation of the area as wilderness and that have been or are being customarily enjoyed with respect to other mining claims or similar occupancies surrounded by wilderness.

(a) BLM approves plans of operation under subpart 3809 of this chapter. The plan of operation will prescribe the routes of travel that you may use for access to claims or sites surrounded by wilderness. These plans will also identify the mode of travel, and other conditions reasonably necessary to preserve the wilderness area.

(b) BLM issues written authorizations under part 2920 of this chapter. Your authorization will prescribe the routes of travel that you may use for access to occupancies surrounded by wilderness. The authorizations will also identify the mode of travel and other conditions reasonably necessary to minimize adverse impacts on the natural resource values of the wilderness area.

(a) Before issuing an access authorization to mining claims or other valid occupancies wholly surrounded by wilderness, BLM will make certain that:

(1) You have demonstrated a lack of any existing access rights or alternate routes of access available by deed or under applicable State or common law and that access by non-federally owned routes is not reasonably obtainable;

(2) Your combination of routes and modes of travel, including non-motorized modes, will cause the least impact on the wilderness but, at the same time, will permit the reasonable use of the non-Federal land, valid mining claim, or other valid occupancy; and

(3) The location, construction, maintenance, and use of the access route that BLM approves will be as consistent as possible with the management of the wilderness area.

(b) After issuing an access authorization, BLM will make certain that you situate and build the route that BLM approves to minimize adverse impacts on the natural resource values of the wilderness area.