Eldorado National Forest lifts seasonal road closures

The U.S. Forest Service announced Tuesday that the wet weather seasonal closure of designated dirt roads and trails in the Eldorado National Forest has ended, with the exception of 42 routes that remain closed by court order.

Some of the open routes aren’t as dried out as others. Forest visitors are responsible for staying on the routes and not causing resource damage. Travelers may also encounter hazards on the open routes because little maintenance has been completed.

Many high elevation routes are still covered with snow and the Forest Service says drivers should use care not to cause resource damage. In most cases, these routes are located on soils that drain better than lower elevation routes constructed in clay based soils.

Forest visitors can obtain free-of-charge motorized vehicle use maps at all Eldorado National Forest ranger stations and at the forest headquarter’ s office in Placerville.

The U.S. District Court directed the Forest Service to keep the 42 routes seasonally closed until a final court order is issued later this spring.

The Mormon Emigrant Trail remains closed to through traffic due to snow.