Sawtooth National Forest extends seasonal closures
JEROME, Idaho (KIFI) — The Sawtooth National Forest has issued four orders extending seasonal closures into May on all districts and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
Seasonal closures on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and the Ketchum and Fairfield ranger districts usually end April 30, and the seasonal closure on the Minidoka Ranger District usually ends May 15.
"With the above average snowfall this past winter, many forest roads remain covered with snow, or the road surfaces are extremely soft. These conditions create the possibility of motorists getting stuck or creating deep ruts,” Forest Engineer Shawn Robnett said. “Each district staff will monitor conditions and remove roads from the closures as snow melts and roads can be accessed safely.”
Legal descriptions of the closure areas can be found on the Sawtooth National Forest website’s Alerts & Notices webpage, https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices. Any updates to the closure orders will also be posted on this page.
Permits issued to allow landowner access to seasonally closed roads will be extended until the closure orders are lifted.
Some of the closed roads are tied to seasonal restrictions detailed on Motor Vehicle Use Maps. These maps are available for review online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/sawtooth/maps-pubs and through the Avenza Maps application on personal devices. Hard copies of the maps are available at all Sawtooth National Forest Offices.
Visitors who have questions about the closures are encouraged to contact the offices of the district they are interested in accessing. Contact information for all districts is available online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sawtooth/about-forest/offices.
