Sparks, NV. – 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 (See Map). 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,” explained 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. Concession-operated campgrounds that are open include:
| BRIDGEPORT RANGER DISTRICT | |
| CAMPGROUNDS | RESERVATIONS |
| Bootleg | No |
| Buckeye | No |
| Chris Flat | No |
| Crags | Yes, sites 3, 5, 6, 8-11, 13-20, 22-24, 26-27 can be reserved at www.recreation.gov. |
| Desert Creek (Nevada) | No |
| Green Creek | No |
| Honeymoon Flat | Yes, sites 1-18, 34-44 can be reserved at www.recreation.gov. |
| Leavitt Meadows | No |
| Lower Twin Lake | Yes, sites 2-15 can be reserve at www.recreation.gov. |
| Obsidian | No |
| Paha | Yes, reservations are required for campsites at www.recreation.gov. |
| Robinson Creek South/ North | Yes, reservations are required for campsites at www.recreation.gov – North or South |
| Sonora Bridge | No |
| Trumbull Lake | Yes, reservations are required for campsites at www.recreation.gov. |
| CARSON RANGER DISTRICT | |
| CAMPGROUNDS | RESERVATIONS |
| Mt. Rose (Nevada) | Yes, sites 1-18 can be reserved are at www.recreation.gov. Sites 19-26 require no reservation and are first come first served. |
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 Wilderness area that is 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 regarding fire restrictions, please visit https://bit.ly/HTNFFireRestrictions or https://bit.ly/FireRestrictionsFAQs for answers to frequently asked questions.
These forest orders will remain in effect until Sept. 17, 2021 or until rescinded. For additional forest alerts or closure information, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/htnf/alerts-notices. As a reminder, all other forests in the Pacific Southwest Region of California are completely closed to the public from Aug. 31, 2021 through Sept. 17, 2021.
