Forest Service roads

Good news just in from the Forest Service. All roads, except Black Mountain Road, will be open to public use tomorrow:

On Thursday, March 4, the San Jacinto Ranger District will open Forest Service Roads on the North-West section of the Forest as well as Santa Rosa and Thomas Mountain. Forest Service Roads that will be opened are: 4S05 (Mellor Ranch Rd), 4S06, 4S10, 4S19 (Angelus Hill Rd), 4S21 (Indian Truck Trail), 5S06 (Control Rd), 5S07 (Bee Canyon), 5S09 (San Jac Truck Trail), 5S10 (Red Hill Truck Trail) and 5S24 all part of the Cottonwood and Esperanza burn areas, as well as, 7S02 (Santa Rosa Mountain) and 6S13 (Thomas Mountain).

These road closures were for public safety because of the chance of ice, mud, rock slides, washouts, flash flooding, slippery road surfaces and/or snow. The closures also serve to protect the road system itself. The Forest Service has a responsibility to minimize damage to the road system in case of an emergency or disaster.

Even though the Forest Service maintains the road system on an annual basis, our limited capacity to do so often results in road maintenance not being completed until well into fire season. Therefore, under unusual or extreme winter weather conditions, it sometimes becomes necessary to temporarily close the road system in order to minimize damage to the roads, thereby allowing access to fire suppression and emergency responders earlier in the fire season before the road maintenance is completed. These roads are subject to possible future closures pending any additional inclement weather.

Forest Service Road 4S01 (Black Mountain Road) will remain closed at Hwy 243 until further notice.

Thanks you for your patience and understanding.