Sonora, CA…Some seasonal roads on the Stanislaus National Forest will remain closed until June 30, 2019, due to one of the heaviest snowfalls on record during the winter of 2018-2019. Forest staff continue to assess seasonal roads on all ranger districts and we will share seasonal road openings as they occur.

Roads remaining closed until May 31 on Summit Ranger District are outlined in Forest Order 16-2019-01 and include Herring Creek and Eagle Meadow roads. A second forest order, 16-2019-02, highlights the closure of Forest Road 4N26 (Crabtree Road) from its intersection with Forest Road 4N25 to its termination at Crabtree Trailhead. This closure order is also in effect until May 31.

Roads that will remain closed until June 30 on Calaveras Ranger District are outlined in Forest Order 16-2019-03. In addition, Forest Order 16-2019-05 closes Forest Road 5N56 until Dec. 31, 2019, due to significant damage to nearly a mile of road from its intersection with Forest Road 5N52.

Jason Kuiken, Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor, said that in addition to the heavy snowfall, which continues to prevent safe travel on some roads, warm weather systems brought heavy rains and high winds that resulted in an unusually high number of fallen trees upon forest roads. “Allowing vehicles to travel these roads would put vehicle occupants at risk and damage the forest’s road infrastructure and surfaces.”

To view all forest orders, visit the Stanislaus National Forest web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/stanislaus/alerts-notices.

Because Groveland Ranger District is lower in elevation, seasonal closures due to snow are less frequent, but the winter weather caused large numbers of hazard trees to fall across the ranger district. Please use great caution when traveling forest roads and realize many less-traveled roads may be impassible due to fallen trees. So far Groveland road crews have cleared hazard trees from more than 130 miles of roads, or the distance from San Francisco to Sonora. Officials warn there is at least half that distance still left to clear.

Mi-Wok Ranger District roads are open, but visitors may find snow covering district roads at higher elevations. Please use caution when driving on district roads and limit travel on snowy roads.

Traveling on wet or snowy roads can damage them, which is why the forest closes them during the winter. “Because many roads are not maintained for travel in wet or snowy conditions, our employees follow the same direction that the public does: if the road is closed, only an emergency would allow access,” Kuiken said.

Visitors are encouraged to contact local ranger district offices for current information on roads and conditions before traveling on the forest.

Stanislaus NF Supervisor’s Office: (209) 532-3671

Calaveras Ranger District: (209) 795-1381

Groveland Ranger District: (209) 962-7825

Summit Ranger District: (209) 965-3434

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