SEELEY LAKE – Many roads across the Seeley Lake Ranger District have been impacted by flood waters and erosion this spring and some remain closed for public safety.
There are also roads – mostly within the Rice Ridge Fire burned area – that are undergoing maintenance and repair work to recover from fire impacts.
“Essentially every road within the Rice Ridge burned area will be subject to some type of road maintenance, improvement or road repair this spring and summer – including culvert removal or replacement – and so there will be either delays or closures associated with that work,” said Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley.
“This is certainly impacting recreational travel on these roads but in most cases there are alternate routes into all these areas. The best thing for folks to do if they have questions on road status is to call the district office – that’s the place where we have current information on road status," Feigley added.
The latest road conditions information can be found by calling the Seeley Lake Ranger District at (406) 677-2233.
The Lolo National Forest reports most recent new road work includes the following:
- The Little Shanley Road #4384 is currently undergoing maintenance. The road will be closed, along with Black Canyon road #4385 and Shanley Pit Spur road #17595, starting the week of June 25th through the duration of the work. Maximum estimated duration of closure is four weeks.
- Morrell Mountain road# 4365 will undergo maintenance beginning the week of June 25th. No full time road closures are planned but delays up to 4 hours may occur to install culverts and to narrow the road.
- Work is underway in the eastern part of the Rice Ridge Fire area. Preliminary sequence of work is to start on Kozy Korner road #9976 and move north and east, ending at the Dunham road. Delays are possible on all project roads, but no significant delays are expected on roads Kozy Korner road #9976 or Cottonwood Lakes road #477.
- Liberty Fire area road maintenance and repair work is currently underway on Beaver-Finley road #9974 and that work will continue for at least a week. Delays are possible on Beaver-Finley road #9974 and Boles road #4341.
Additional anticipated road work includes the following:
- Work on Dunham road# 4388. Contractor may close the road near Nome Creek for up to two days affecting access to Lodgepole trailhead. No estimated closure date at this time.
- Road work is also planned for the western part of the Rice Ridge Fire area; no estimated start date yet.
- Work will be taking place on two bridges that cross Morrell Creek. The Morrell Creek bridge on Cottonwood Lakes road# 477 will be re-decked necessitating the road being closed for one day; no estimated closure date at this time. The Morrell Creek bridge off Morrell road #4353 (access to Morrell Falls and Pyramid Pass trailheads) will replace the burned decking; the old bridge will then be removed.
The following roads remain closed on the Seeley Lake Ranger District:
- Little Shanley road #4384
- Black Canyon road #4385
- Shanley Pit Spur road #17595
- Upper Beaver Finley road #9974 near Boles meadow due to standing water on the road
- Morrell Mountain road #4365 due to culvert washout (this road may be open by the time of this printing)
- Road #720 between Camp Creek road #685 and Richmond Ridge road #667 due to washout
- Henry Mountain road #5407, from milepost 2.5 at the junction with road 56312 to milepost 4.8 due to washout
- Camp Road 36019. Closed at the intersection with Road #4379. Closed indefinitely until a new structure can be installed.
