Forest eases limits

The rainy Labor Day weekend is coming with a silver lining, as Glacier National Park and the Flathead National Forest have rolled back some campfire restrictions, and some southern portions of the wilderness have reopened to the public.

While the rest of the area remained in Stage II fire restrictions as of Friday afternoon, the park and forest received sufficient rain to downshift to Stage I restrictions, meaning that camping fires are allowed only in designated campsites with fire rings.

Flathead Forest officials Friday evening lifted most closures on the wilderness areas within the Spotted Bear Ranger District, although areas both in and outside the wilderness impacted by the Bear Creek and Trail Creek Fires remain closed.

The portions of the Bob Marshall and Great Bear Wilderness areas covered by the Spotted Bear Ranger District will have no fire restrictions, meaning open campfires are allowed anywhere within the wilderness boundary not currently under a fire closure. However, forest officials are asking users to still exercise caution, as fire danger is still rated as “high.”

Closures lifted in the wilderness complex apply only to the Spotted Bear district, and the Hungry Horse Ranger District was still enforcing its wilderness closures as of early Friday evening.

Closures in the Whale Creek drainage on the Flathead National Forest’s Glacier View Ranger District have also been lifted.

A closure southwest of Trout Creek, in the Kootenai National Forest has also been lifted.

Lifted closures in the Spotted Bear district include:

— Holland/Gordon Trail 35.

— Holland/Sapphire Trail 48.

— Holland Lookout Trail 42.

— Sapphire Lakes Trail 120A.

— Trails from the Holland Lake area.

— Pendant Pass to Salmon Lake.

— Trail 416 to Holland Falls.

— Holland Lake Lodge, Campground and Day Use Area.

Continuing closures in Spotted Bear include:

— Spotted Bear River Road and trailheads.

— Meadow Creek Trailhead.

— Gorge Creek Trailhead.

— South Fork East Side Trail, from Meadow Creek to Damnation Creek (including Black Bear Cabin).

— Shaw Creek Trail 212.

— Gordon Pass Trail 35, at Cardinal Creek Trail.

For more information on closures and restrictions in the Spotted Bear Ranger District, call the district office at (406) 758-5376.