Road closures information

[steveshuntn1]

Where is the best place to find road closure information for Colorado? My daughter and I have elk tags for the 2nd rifle season. I’ve looked at some of the maps on the National Forrest website at it seems there all open around and in my unit. Do they update those often as the weather changes and the road becomes impassable?

 

[YukonGold]

Assuming all the national forests operate the same way, they won't close a road for weather. If it says it's open year-round on their Motor Vehicle Use Map, then it's open year round. It's up to you as a user to evaluate if you can safely travel on it without 4WD, chains, snowmobiles, etc.

They may close roads temporarily due to fire activity and things like landslides. For fire activity Inciweb usually has closure maps for active fires.

This is how it is in Montana anyway.

 

[Beignet]

The Forest Service does not update the MVUM for weather. It’s only to indicate if the gates will be open or not when you get there. You alone are responsible for determining weather passibility if conditions aren’t ideal.

 

[steveshuntn1]

What about roads that are closed off and gated? I know the National Forrest around here has done that to several roads over the years that either are to bad to repair or they just don’t want them used anymore. Will they still be on the Forrest maps?

 

[steveshuntn1]

The Forest Service does not update the MVUM for weather. It’s only to indicate if the gates will be open or not when you get there. You alone are responsible for determining weather passibility if conditions aren’t ideal.

Gotcha….I wasn’t sure how that worked out west. I’m coming prepared for the worst and hopefully won’t need any of it. It’s the gated roads that I’m interested in…we’ll be walking to wherever we go so anyplace that traffic is not allowed will get my attention.

 

[rwc101]

Gotcha….I wasn’t sure how that worked out west. I’m coming prepared for the worst and hopefully won’t need any of it. It’s the gated roads that I’m interested in…we’ll be walking to wherever we go so anyplace that traffic is not allowed will get my attention.

The they will show up with gray X's on https://www.fs.usda.gov/ivm/

 

[Beignet]

Not sure what map you’re using, but sometimes the permanently closed roads will be marked as more of a trail than a road. If that makes sense.

Bring some chains and use them to get out of a tight spot rather than into one and you should be fine!

 

[44hunter45]

What about roads that are closed off and gated? I know the National Forrest around here have done that to several over the years that either are to bad to repair or they just don’t want them used anymore. Will they still be on the Forrest maps?

Not the color Visitor's Map, those are updated every decade or so. Every NF publishes the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) annually. They are free at any FS office on that forest.
It takes 5 minutes to go grab one off the rack and you can get good intel from the office folks. If there is a biologist in the office they will often come out and talk with you.

Every gate on USFS should have signage telling you what the vehicle restrictions are (and sometimes the reason for the closure)as well as the dates of the closure for each vehicle type. The gate may be closed to 4x4s, but open to ATVs and motorcycles. Many Corporate timber owned roads also have the same signage.

Remember that not everyone respects the gates. Hunting gated roads can be productive, but it's frustrating to walk in and then have an ATV putt past you.

 

[steveshuntn1]

Not the color Visitor's Map, those are updated every decade or so. Every NF publishes the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) annually. They are free at any FS office on that forest.
It takes 5 minutes to go grab one off the rack and you can get good intel from the office folks. If there is a biologist in the office they will often come out and talk with you.

Every gate on USFS should have signage telling you what the vehicle restrictions are (and sometimes the reason for the closure)as well as the dates of the closure for each vehicle type. The gate may be closed to 4x4s, but open to ATVs and motorcycles. Many Corporate timber owned roads also have the same signage.

Remember that not everyone respects the gates. Hunting gated roads can be productive, but it's frustrating to walk in and then have an ATV putt past you.

Yeah we get the atv…and even trucks driving around past gated roads here as well. It sucks. I will definitely grab one of those maps.