Humboldt Toiyabe Forest north of Conway Summit open but new restrictions go into place,
Humboldt Toiyabe remains open but goes to mostly day use from Conway Summit to state line
The Humboldt-toiyabe National Forest, located within the Intermountain Region, is putting in place two forest orders that will take effect on Wednesday, Sept. 1 and affect recreation opportunities and limit access on the Bridgeport and Carson Ranger Districts.
Due to the Caldor Fire, Forest Order 04-17-21-12 will close all areas, campgrounds, trails, and roads on the Carson Ranger District from south of U.S. Route 50 to the southern district boundary and from the western district boundary to the Nevada State line. With this area closure in place, Hope Valley, Kit Carson, Lookout, Silver Creek, and Wylder Hope Valley Campgrounds are now closed.
Much of that area is already closed due to the Tamarack Fire, which includes Crystal Springs and Markleeville Campgrounds; Snowshoe Springs Day Use Area; Armstrong Pass, Charity Valley East, Ebbetts Pass, High Trail/carson River, Horsethief, Noble Lake, Tamarack, Thornburg Canyon, Wet Meadows, and Wolf Creek Trailheads; and Mokelumne Wilderness.
“With how fast the Caldor Fire is moving, we feel it is necessary to close this area to minimize the likelihood that visitors could become entrapped on National Forest System lands,” said Forest Supervisor Bill Dunkelberger.
In Forest Order 04-17-21-13, all California lands managed by the Bridgeport and Carson Ranger Districts are only open to day use unless camping in concession-operated campground or staying in a resort or recreation residences that are located on National Forest System lands, except in the closure area mentioned above. The Pacific Crest and Tahoe Rim Trails are also temporarily closed.
“This was a hard decision to make especially right before Labor Day weekend, but public safety is our number one concern,” said Forest Supervisor Bill Dunkelberger.
He added that it was important for the Forest to decrease the potential for new fire starts at a time of extremely limited firefighting resources and enhance firefighter and community safety by limiting exposure that occurs in public evacuation situations.
With this new forest order, Centerville Flat and Wolf Creek Dispersed Campgrounds on the Carson Ranger District and Virginia Creek /Upper/ Lower Dispersed Campground on the Bridgeport Ranger District are closed.
Forest officials also want to remind visitors that there is no overnight camping only day hiking allowed in the section of the Carson-iceberg Wilderness area that is on the Carson Ranger District and the section of the Hoover and Wovoka Wilderness areas that are on the Bridgeport Ranger District.
The Buckeye Hot Springs on the Bridgeport Ranger District is open, but anyone planning to camp by the hot springs must camp at Buckeye Campground or another nearby concession-operated campground.
The Bridgeport and Carson Ranger Districts are currently under Stage II Fire Restrictions.
No campfires are allowed on these District lands in both California and Nevada.
For more information regard
ing fire restrictions, go to bit.ly/htnffirerestrictions or https://bit.ly/firerestrictionsfaqs for answers to frequently asked questions.
For additional information on the Humboldt-toiyabe National Forest, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/htnf or participate in the conversation at https:// twitter.com/humboldttoiyabe and https://www.facebook.com/humboldttoiyabenf/.