Valley of the Moon Bridge Closed Until Further Notice-Lolo National Forest

(Missoula, MT, August 31,2026) — Due to immediate safety concerns, the Lolo National Forest has closed the bridge and road leading into the Valley of the Moon area of lower Rock Creek after a routine bridge inspection revealed hazardous conditions. 

The closure officially affects Forest Service Road 34, Gilbert Creek Road, beginning at milepost 0.0 where it intersects Rock Creek Road. No public vehicle or ATV/UTV traffic is allowed past where barriers have been installed. 

While this closure may adversely affect some public access to the west bank of Rock Creek, no area closure is in place, so the public lands adjacent to the creek remain available to public use. Further, an engineering assessment has deemed foot traffic to be within the structural capacity of the bridge.

Recreationists are encouraged to use caution when parking nearby to access the site as the closure effectively limits parking to accommodate local resident access, with property on the other side of the bridge. There are very limited parking opportunities along Rock Creek Road in the vicinity of the bridge, and no parked vehicles may block two-way traffic on Rock Creek Road or block the space between the barriers. 

Lolo National Forest staff are currently assessing the situation and evaluating options to address access needs to this part of the forest, including working with the impacted landowners. 

For more information on this and other closures please visit the Lolo National Forest alerts site.

About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation for more than 100 years. Grounded in world-class science and technology—and rooted in communities—the Forest Service connects people to nature and recreation opportunities. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, supports the nation’s forest industry and energy needs, and operates the largest and most respected wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. By providing assistance to state and private landowners and working with Tribes and other partners, the Forest Service also helps steward an additional 900 million forested acres within the U.S.

source: usfs

photo: pixabay