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Road Closures By The Forest Service Are Usually
Caused For The Following Reasons:
- Multiple Routes Around Difficult Areas:
The routes taken by individuals that can't negotiate a more challenging 4WD section. These are sometimes located right next to the obstacle, if these routes become well established, the challenging route will usually be eliminated.
- Steep Hills With Multiple Routes:
The cause is not from avoidance but from users not being able to take the easy way around so they make a challenge, like on a switchback road where someone cuts up the slope instead of following the road.
- Water Crossings With Soft Banks Or Bottoms:
Water crossings in muddy riparian areas are the most destructive. The banks are usually chewed out and form deep high-centering ruts.
- Travel Routes That Have Been Created Over Time But Are Not Part Of The Forest Transportation System:
These routes are the most vulnerable to elimination because their existence is not known.
- Others:
Routes that exist due to unauthorized access or access to private property, basically illegal.
Routes that access the same area from close proximity to each other, both are not needed.
Routes with safety hazards on them, either on the trail or in the vicinity, like open mine shafts.
Routes closed to other recreational users, when users can't tolerate one another, someone loses their access.
 Four-Wheel Drive routes and roads need to be viewed the same as trails, ways of access for individuals to enjoy the outdoors. Too many times roads are considered areas of disturbance, conflict and destruction. These conditions actually exist anywhere people are present and can be resolved without closures or access denials. We all need to work smarter at finding the best solution for all, not the easiest for some!
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