Carson National Forest officials reopened more of the Camino Real Ranger District on Tuesday, Aug. 2, with a fourth area set to reopen Wednesday. The ranger district has been largely closed for months as crews carry out forest fire suppression repair work and clear timber felled by last December’s destructive storm.
“I know the public is eager to get back into the forests and recognize how important access is for activities such as firewood collection and recreation,” forestry supervisor James Duran said in a statement. Press. “When re-entering the forest, please be careful as teams may still be working in some areas and new hazards may be present.”
Although the 341,735-acre Calf Canyon fire is [98 percent] contained, deletion repair activities are ongoing. A closure order will remain in place to protect public health and safety during suppressive repairs and in the event of potential post-fire impacts, including debris flows and flash flooding. Forestry officials urged visitors to “maintain situational awareness at all times, particularly during the monsoon season when sudden thunderstorms and lightning pose an additional risk to outdoor activities.”
The three reopened areas are:
- The Santa Barbara area, including the Hodges camping area and the Middle Fork Trail (24) in the Pecos Wilderness. The Bear Mountain area will remain closed for the time being. Santa Barbara Campground may reopen in the near future.
- Part of the Pecos Wilderness including Middle Fork, West Fork Santa Barbara (25), East Fork Santa Barbara (26) and Divide Trail (36) from Santa Barbara. Other open trails include San Leonardo (30), Trampas (31), and trail 31A to Hidden Lake.
- Areas east of NM 76 near Trampas and Truchas, including San Leonardo (30) and Trampas (31) trailheads.
- La Junta Canyon areas off NM 518, including campgrounds, are expected to reopen later this week. La Junta Canyon Road (76) will not connect to Angel Fire. The deadline for the reopening of this area is to allow more time for the removal of dangerous trees.
Details of what’s open and closed, including a closure map, about the district are available on the Forest Service website.
Other areas will reopen over time as the removal repair is complete and it is safe to re-enter. Areas directly burned by fires or at continued risk of flash flooding may remain closed longer for safety reasons. Short-term closures in reopened areas may still occur from time to time.
