Placerville, CA…The seasonal closure of dirt roads and motorized trails in the Eldorado National Forest will be lifted beginning Friday, May 1st. However, damage could still occur from driving in wet areas and visitors will be responsible for any damage caused by inappropriate use.  Due to melting snow, wet areas will be present in the forest for some time, especially at higher elevations. Many routes change in elevation over several miles. Visitors are encouraged to be aware of changes in the conditions of the roads they are using, and to adjust travel plans if they reach a wet section.

This seasonal closure is designed to protect roadbeds and watersheds from damage and to protect water quality, and is not a result of COVID-19. A minimum three month closure period from January 1 through March 31 was designated for the core part of the wet season in the Eldorado National Forest Travel Management Plan. This plan also allows the seasonal dirt road closure to start earlier or be extended based on actual conditions in a given year. Due to heavy precipitation in March, the seasonal closure was extended to April 30 this year.

The seasonal closure does not affect routes in the Rock Creek Area near Georgetown, which has its own wet weather closure process for motorized trails. Non-motorized trails throughout the forest do not have a seasonal closure.

All non-motorized trails in the Eldorado National Forest are currently open for public use. The public is advised to use caution, as trees may be down on the trails from this past winter’s storms. There will be additional hazards along the Caples Creek Trail, due to hazard trees from last year’s Caples Fire. Use of the Caples Trail is discouraged until safety concerns in the burned area can be properly assessed.

While trails in the forest are open for use, we recommend complying with local and state guidance and not traveling for your recreation needs.

Closures remain in effect for developed campgrounds, cabin rentals, picnic areas, public restrooms, boat ramps, and other recreation facilities on the Eldorado National Forest in response to the COVID-19 emergency. For a list of closed sites in the Eldorado National Forest, see our March 27 news release here.

The USDA Forest Service’s highest priority is ensuring our employees and visitors remain safe as we support mission critical functions for the people and communities we serve.

If you do plan on visiting the Eldorado National Forest, please be aware that:

Closing any site for any reason is not one we take lightly, but protecting our visitors and employees remains our highest priority. We are working with our state and local partners to determine the best path forward to safely reopening closed sites.

Thank you for your cooperation.

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