Coconino National Forest has issued a closure order for an area of the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project that includes Dry Lake Hills and a large portion of Mount Elden in order to keep the public safe from forest harvesting operations.
The public is restricted from entering this closure area so that helicopter logging and forest thinning operations can be conducted safely.
Heavy equipment and truck traffic will be present on Schultz Pass Road (Forest Road 420), Elden Lookout Road, and U.S. Highway 180. Several miles of Schultz Pass Road with the closure area are closed, as well as Elden Lookout Road, for public safety.
The closure area also affects all or portions of trails, including:
- Brookbank Trail
- Elden Lookout Trail
- Little Bear Trail
- Little Elden Trail
- Little Gnarly Trail
- Lower Oldham Trail
- Rocky Ridge Trail
- Schultz Creek Trail
- Sunset Trail
- Upper Oldham Trail
Harvesting operations are expected to conclude sometime this summer. Violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations and/or imprisonment for not more than six months.
