By Brandon Caley
Special to The SUN
To protect road surfaces and for public safety, many Forest Service roads are seasonally closed to wheeled motorized vehicles, except snowmobiles operating on snow. The roads are open to nonmotorized uses, including bicycling, hiking and horseback riding.
Roads will remain closed until most of the road surface can withstand traffic without damage.
An open gate does not give permission to damage roads. Damage is defined as: ruts 1 inch deep or deeper on gravel roads, 4 inches deep or deeper on native surface roads. Do not go off roads, except to park adjacent to the road on dry ground.
Following are the roads which remain open as of Dec. 23:
• Blanco River, No. 656.
• Buckles Lake, No. 663.
• Devil Mountain, No. 626.
• Mosca, No. 631.
• Price Lakes, No. 731.
• Williams Creek, No. 640 (from gate to lake).
For additional information on travel management, road openings and to pick up a Motor Vehicle Use Map with specific information on Forest access roads, contact the Pagosa Ranger District at 264-2268 or stop by and visit us Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 180 Pagosa St.
Current information on other seasonal Pagosa Ranger District road closures is available at www.fs.usda.gov/sanjuan. Click on the “Forest Road Conditions” link located on the right side of the page under the “Quick Links” box. Under Alerts and Notices, click “Pagosa Ranger District Road Status.”
