Specialists from the Center for Esoteric Data & Anomalies (CEDA) and the National Park Service Research Division have begun a joint assessment of electromagnetic activity within the Pine Basin region of Spectral Valley National Park. This collaboration marks the first coordinated survey of subsurface magnetic variance in over a decade.
For safety reasons, all visitor access to the Pine Basin area is suspended until further notice. Temporary closures include the Lower Basin Trail, Overlook Road, and the South Access Path. Visitors are reminded not to enter cordoned areas or interact with field personnel operating within restricted zones.
According to Park Director Larry Cortez, the controlled study aims to “identify fluctuations that may impact navigational and communications equipment” and ensure the park’s monitoring systems remain accurate. Cortez emphasized that the activity poses no threat to public safety and that “precautions are in place solely for equipment calibration and personnel training.”
Observers near the basin may notice low mechanical sounds or faint lights during evening hours. Officials attribute these to sensor recalibration and nighttime data recording processes. CEDA technicians will be working intermittently throughout the winter season to collect baseline readings across the basin’s fault lines.
Park ecologist Melvin Cooper explained that Pine Basin is one of the most geologically sensitive areas in the valley. “It’s an ideal site to observe natural shifts in the magnetic field,” he said. “Our instruments can pick up even the smallest pulse. What we’re doing now is making sure we can tell natural variations apart from equipment interference.”
Cooper also mentioned that the survey’s results will help refine ranger safety protocols for teams using compasses, GPS, and radios near the basin’s fault perimeter, where readings have occasionally been inconsistent.
Field equipment has been stationed near existing weather and soil-monitoring units to reduce environmental disturbance. Rangers note that certain study devices may emit a low-frequency hum when active—this is a normal part of the testing process. Visitors in neighboring regions may also notice temporary signal interference on personal radios or cameras during the next few weeks.
Officials request that all unauthorized drones, recording devices, and amateur radio transmissions remain grounded until fieldwork concludes. Park communication networks are temporarily rerouted to accommodate the study’s bandwidth requirements.
Park staff will post updates as the project continues. The full findings of the CEDA–NPS assessment will be published in the upcoming issue of the Spectral Valley Field Journal. Reopening of the Pine Basin trails is expected following environmental review and clearance.
For inquiries about closures or ongoing research, please contact the Ranger Station at spectralvalleynationalpark@gmail.com or visit the Headlines archive for further updates.