Weather prompts forest road limits

 Changing weather and snow conditions are creating soft road surfaces and spring “break-up” conditions on many Flathead National Forest roads, prompting temporary road closures and load limits across the forest.

Forest road managers will check road conditions and sign roads closed or assign a load limit depending on local conditions for the next month.  

“The temporary restrictions are important to protect the road surface and ensure that the road drainage works properly, and to allow for drying of saturated soils,” said Denise Germann, the forest’s public affairs officer.

“Traveling on these soft road beds causes additional damage that could result in longer-term closures to fix the problems.”

Snow plowing operations are under way on the East-side Hungry Horse Reservoir Road, Forest Road 38. The road is currently open only for administrative use and is not open for public use. The road was expected to be open for public use up to Abbott Bay starting May 7.  

Germann said road crews are encountering higher-than-average levels of snow and ice along the route. The saturated soil needs additional time to allow for drying. The road will be opened incrementally as conditions allow.  

The West-side Hungry Horse Reservoir Road, Forest Road 895, is open to snowmobile travel as conditions allow through May 31, or until work resumes on the repaving of the first 11 miles.  

Throughout the summer, the road will be closed from Hungry Horse Dam to the Lid Creek Campground. The repaving project, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, was initiated last fall.

The project includes replacing the existing pavement and replacing culverts, building retaining walls and repairing road substructure. Access to locations along the west side of the reservoir south of Lid Creek will be  from the East Side Hungry Horse Reservoir Road.  

Gravel resurfacing work will continue on both the east-side and west-side reservoir roads as conditions allow. Travelers are reminded to drive with caution as there will be increased truck traffic around the reservoir.

For updated information on temporary road restrictions and spring access on the Flathead National Forest, contact individual ranger districts: Hungry Horse-Glacier View at 387-3800; Tally Lake at 758-5204; or Swan Lake at 837-7500.