Warm weather, snow melt and spring rains are creating soft road surfaces and spring “break up” conditions on many Flathead National Forest roads. To provide for safe transportation and protect the condition of the road system the forest annually implements temporary road closures and load limits across the Forest. For the next few months forest road managers will check conditions and sign roads as “closed” or assign a load limit as appropriate based on the local conditions.
Forest System Road #38 (South Fork Flathead) is temporarily closed to the public from the gate near Abbott Bay Rd. #5301 junction to the gate at milepost 37 ½. This closure is to allow the road to dry.
Canyon Creek Rd. #316 remains closed to wheeled motorized vehicles as repairs continue due to the damage caused by severe weather and flooding last spring. This closure begins on Rd. #316 past it’s junction with Rd. #316D (Ninemile Rd.) and continues to its junction with Rd. #316C (South Fork Canyon Creek Rd.).
Flathead National Forest Supervisor Chip Weber says, “Traveling on soft road beds can cause damage, which often results in longer-term closures to fix the problems. Temporary restrictions are an important tool we use to help protect the road surface and ensure that the road drainage works properly. We ask all forest users to please report any major damage they may encounter while out recreating.”
For updated information on temporary road restrictions on the Flathead National Forest contact the individual ranger district:
Hungry Horse / Glacier View Ranger District 387-3800
Tally Lake Ranger District 758-5204
Swan Lake Ranger District 837-7500
General forest information can be found online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/flathead.
