Forest Road Update - 10.13.2021

Cedar Creek Road

Timber falling operations along Cedar Creek Road will leave the road impassable during weekdays from 5am till 3pm.  Gates located at the junctions of Cedar Butte/Cedar Creek and Wolf Point Road/Cedar Creek will be locked during this time period.  

Road is open after 3pm and on weekends.

Operator is on CB 15.

Bark Shanty and N. Fork Trask Road

Logging operations will have a skyline cable hanging over Bark Shanty Road to a tail hold cat located above on North Fork Trask Road.  Bark Shanty is open but lines will be above.  

The Operator is on CB 29.

Fire Season Ends in the Tillamook State Forest - October 1, 2021

 Fire Season will end for the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests on Friday, October 1, 2021.  This is made possible by a long term forecast for mild weather combined with the 4" - 7" rainfall totals from across Northwest Oregon.

The Oregon Department of Forestry appreciates everyone's efforts to work with in the fire restrictions to prevent wildfires this season.

A seasonal wildland firefighter sprays water on the Game Hog Fire.

All OHV Trails OPEN: Effective 09.16.2021

 

As we are beginning to see the early signs of fall on bushes and rain is finally in the forecast, the state forests will be experiencing significant changes for public recreation in the coming days and weeks.

Beginning with the September 16, 2021 downgrading of fire danger to "moderate" across the Forest Grove District, the district's OHV trails and the forest roads north of Highway 26 will be opening to public use. This change means that all OHV trails across the Tillamook and Clatsop state forests will be open for public usage, as well as the North Fork Wolf Creek Shooting Lanes.

OHV Trails Re-Open on Western Side of Tillamook State Forest

Ready to ride? Effective Friday, August 27th, some of ODF’s off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails will re-open where fire danger has dropped to moderate.

On the western side of the Tillamook State Forest, all OHV trails accessed out of Jordan Creek, Diamond Mill, and Trask-Area staging areas will be open to public usage. However, trails on the eastern side of the forest (accessed through Browns Camp, Rogers Camp, and Lyda Camp staging areas) will remain closed for wildfire danger.

Similarly, OHV trails on the Clatsop State Forest will also be open for riding. These trails are all located within the Nicolai Mountain OHV Riding Area.

Closures and restrictions change regularly based on local conditions. For up-to-date info, visit the ODF website.

Effective Tuesday, August 17, 2021: Public Use Restrictions Lessen on Eastern Portion of Tillamook State Forest, Fire Danger Back to High

FOREST GROVE, Ore. — With fire danger dropping to high in the eastern portion of the Tillamook State Forest, the Oregon Department of Forestry is lessening some restrictions on public use effective 1 a.m. Tuesday.

The most significant change is re-opening roads in the eastern part of the forest to motorized traffic, re-opening of some campgrounds, and allowing campfires only in campgrounds within ODF-installed fire rings. The following restrictions remain in place:

• Off-highway vehicle trails remain closed
• Campfires are still banned outside of developed campgrounds with ODF-installed rings
• Smoking is still prohibited
• Off Highway 26, non-motorized traffic by the public is still prohibited behind the fire gates on North Fork Wolf Creek Road, McGregor Road, and Music Road. 

Note that all year long, fireworks, sky lanterns, tracer rounds and exploding targets are prohibited on state-managed forestland.

This decision was made based on forecasted lower temperatures and slightly increased humidity, and restrictions will increase again if fire danger returns to Extreme. ODF urges forest users to know before you go and check Public Use Restrictions before you head to your destination. To do so, please visit Oregon.gov/odf and click “Fire Restrictions & Closures.”

Note that Public Use Restrictions and Industrial Fire Precaution Level restrictions may differ. IFPL levels and associated restrictions can also be checked on the ODF website.

Contact: Jason Cox, ODF Public Affairs Specialist, 503-945-7427, jason.r.cox@oregon.gov

Kilchis Lookout Road - Closure in Effect August 1, 2021 - October 31, 2021

 Kilchis Lookout Road will be blocked at all times (including nights and weekends) from August 1, 2021 through October 31, 2021.  This closure is due to timber sale activity.

The road block is located at the 2 mile marker along Kilchis Forest Road.  This includes closure of the access from the Cedar Butte side and from Sam Downs.

Please use alternate routes as needed.

Jordan Creek Road Opens Wednesday, July 22, 2021

Forest Operations in the Jordan Creek area have been completed allowing the area to re-open to public use at noon on Wednesday, July 22, 2021.

This includes all dispersed campsites and Jordan Creek OHV Campground. However, all OHV trails remain closed due to high fire danger.

Please continue to monitor this site for more information about OHV trail openings and the current Stagecoach Horse Camp closure.

Scooper planes dip into Hagg Lake while battling the Game Hog Creek Fire

Mechanical issues grounded two helicopters before they could assist at the Game Creek Hog Fire. Instead, ODF’s The Dalles Unit loaned two single-engine airtankers to the fire team engaged on the fire. Today, both planes are scooping water up from Hagg Lake and dropping it onto hot spots in the steep terrain of the Elk Creek drainage where the blaze is located.  

Arrival of an additional hand crew has increased personnel engaged on the fire to about 100. The fire has so far been kept to about 135 acres of the 364,000-acre state forest. The Tillamook State Forest remains open but visitors can expect smoke in the area. However, the Drift Creek and Idiot Creek forest roads and the Fear and Loaming mountain bike trail remain closed due to fire activity. Highway 6 and 26 to the coast remain open and unaffected by the fire, which is burning about two miles north of Highway 6. No evacuations are associated with this fire. 

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

A Fire Boss Scooper Plane fills its pontoons with water out of Hagg Lake.

The video below shows a Scooper Plane water drop on the Game Hog Fire.

Rogers Camp Trailhead Re-Opens / OHV Trails Remain Closed

 

Effective Saturday, July 17,  2021:

Rogers Camp  Trailhead is re-open to public use.

More helicopters on the way to help with the Game Hog Creek Fire (07.16.2021)

FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Steep terrain where the Game Hog Creek Fire is burning in the Tillamook State Forest has made it difficult for firefighters to deepen their control lines encircling the fire. Yesterday the fire pushed through those lines to burn three more acres.

A helicopter has been helping with air drops of water onto the fire. It will be joined by another helicopter today, with an additional helicopter also expected on Saturday. The water they drop will help cool hot spots so that embers in the interior of the fire have less chance of being blown across control lines.

Helicopter dipping 1300 gallon bucket to deliver water to the Game Hog Creek Fire.

About 80 ground crew remain engaged on the wildfire, which is entirely within the state forest in timber and slash. Their goal today is to extend control lines down to Elk Creek.  Cooler air from the ocean has moved over the fire today, which should aid firefighters.

The Tillamook State Forest remains open to visitors with the exception of Drift Creek and Idiot Creek forest roads and the Fear and Loaming mountain bike trail. These are closed due to fire activity in the area. Rogers Camp trailhead is being used as a staging area for firefighters and is also closed to the public. Highway 6 and 26 to the coast remain open and unaffected by the fire. 

No evacuations are associated with this fire.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Containment lines are holding on wildfire in the Tillamook State Forest (07.15.2021)

Bulldozer from Bighorn Logging works the Game Hog Creek Fire

FOREST GROVE, Oregon (July 15, 2021) – The fire lines dug by firefighters  to control the Game Hog Creek Fire burning in the Tillamook State Forest have held. About 80 ground crew are engaged on the wildfire. They have been aided by helicopters assisting with air drops onto the fire, which is in a steep, inaccessible area of the forest. 

More precise mapping shows the fire, which is about 22 miles northwest of Forest Grove, has burned a little over 130 acres.
 
Temperatures overnight are expected to drop somewhat, which will help retain moisture in the air. Cooler air off the ocean is expected to move inland over the fire on Friday, which should also aid firefighters.

Most of the Tillamook State Forest remains open to visitors with the exception of Drift Creek Road, Idiot Creek Road and the Fear and Loaming mountain bike trail. These are closed due to fire activity in the area. Rogers Camp trailhead is being used as a staging area for firefighters and is also closed to the public. Highway 6 and 26 to the coast remain open and unaffected by the fire, which is entirely within the state forest.

Drift Creek and Idiot Creek Roads, Fear and Loaming Trail Closed Until Further Notice

Effective immediately,

An ODF firefighter sprays water onto the Game Hog Creek Fire.

Drift Creek and Idiot Creek Roads will be closed to public access due to fire fighting activity. Similarly, the nearby Fear and Loaming Trail will be closed as well.

Please continue to check this site for the most up to date information surrounding the closures.

Forest Operations Related Closures: Stagecoach Horse Camp, July 12th, and Jordan Creek Road, July 15th

As the Oregon Department of Forestry moves through the operational summer season, forest management procedures will impact recreation on the Tillamook State Forest beginning next week.

Stagecoach Horse Camp will be closed starting Monday, July 12th. Signs will be posted on the campground entrance boards throughout the closure.

Jordan Creek Road will be closed at the ¼ mile mark starting Thursday, July 15th. The closure includes all dispersed campsites, Jordan Creek OHV Campground, and geographically connected OHV trails. In addition, portions of Archers Road, Portland Mills, and Phipps Creek Roads will be closed at points of access to Jordan Creek Road.

These closures are for forest management operations and are expected to last a few weeks. Information about the closures, and subsequent re-openings, can be found here and on the ODF website. For additional information, contact Joe Offer, Recreation Operations Manager, at (503) 359-7464.

July 3rd Forest Fire in the Tillamook State Forest a Reminder That Even Coastal Forests are Tinder Dry

UPDATE:  July 8, 2021

The Idiot Creek Area off of Highway 6 is re-opened to public access.   Even with the recent cool, damp weather the area remains in High Fire Danger as fuel moistures are still low and the warm weather trend continues.

Thanks to Ryan from the mountain bike community who reported a fire start he observed in the Idiot Creek area off of Highway 6 late Saturday afternoon.  Oregon Department of Forestry fire crews and deputies from the Tillamook County Sheriff's Department responded to the area to find an active fire in the understory of a dense timber stand off of Game Hog Creek Road.

Fire crews worked to stop the fire through the night challenged by dry conditions and tough terrain.  As of 2:45 PM on Sunday, the fire was sitting at about 6 acres in size and fire fighting helicopters had been called in to support fire crews working on the line.  The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

This fire is a reminder that even the coastal forests of Oregon are tinder dry after a prolonged period of high temperatures and no significant rainfall.  While the Tillamook State Forest does see cooler evenings, higher humidities and even morning clouds due to its proximity to the coast, this is not enough to change the high fire danger conditions.

The Oregon Department of Forestry continues to ask folks to leave fireworks at home as they are prohibited on State Forest lands at this time and to obey all fire regulations currently in place.

Thank-you for your help in keeping Oregon's forests green!

Fire Danger Still in HIGH - Updated July 13, 2021

Northwest Oregon is heading into an intense weather event that will bring with it the potential for historically high temperatures and dry conditions partnered with a light off-shore air flow.  

The critical fire danger period is Friday, June 25 through Monday, June 28, 2021 with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees predicted in the valley for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

To reduce the likelihood of a wildfire the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) moved the Fire Restriction Zones that encompass the Tillamook State Forest into HIGH Fire Danger effective Friday, June 25, 2021 at 1:00 AM.  Update: As of July 13, 2021 - this closure is still in effect.

Because of the severe weather conditions, in order to be able to respond quickly in the event a wildfire does occur, the Oregon Department of Forestry will be bringing on severity response resources including putting a firefighting helicopter and hand crews on standby as well as increasing agency staff patrolling ODF protected lands over the weekend.

HIGH Fire Danger means the following for Public Use:

• Campfires are limited to designated recreation sites using the metal fire grates installed by the Oregon Department of Forestry (unless posted otherwise at the site).  This includes:
• Fee Campgrounds
• Developed Day Use Areas
• Designated Recreation Areas
• Designated Campsites

• Cooking is limited to designated recreation sites using the following methods:
• Metal fire pits installed by the Oregon Department of Forestry
• Propane or gas camp stoves
• Propane or gas BBQ grills

• OHV Trails are CLOSED effective at 1:00 AM on Friday, June 25, 2021 until the Fire Danger drops back down to Moderate.
• OHV activity is only allowed on the maintained gravel roads in designated OHV areas of Browns Camp, Lyda Camp, Jordan Creek, Trask and Diamond Mill

Updates to the Fire Danger conditions and Public Use Restrictions for the Tillamook State Forest will be posted on this blog as they occur.

Thanks for your help in keeping the Tillamook State Forest free from wildfires!

Road Closures

Jordan Creek Road

Effective 06.25.2021 - Jordan Creek Road will have intermittent closures Monday - Friday due to logging traffic between the 1.25 and 1.5 mile markers.  Logging cables will be strung over the road and a flagger will be on site to direct traffic through the area when it is safe to do so.

This closure is expected to last through mid-July.

Drift Creek Road

Drift Creek road is closed weekdays for rock hauling traffic.  The closure period is Monday through Friday, 5:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

Regulated Use Fire Restrictions Start Tuesday, June 22, 2021.

What do "Fire Restrictions" mean for your next visit to the Tillamook State Forest?

At 1:00 AM on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, the Northwest Oregon Forest Protective Association (NWOFPA), which includes the Tillamook State Forest, enters into the Regulated Use portion of fire season.


When you pass an orange or yellow sign like the ones pictured at the right it means that Regulated Use is in effect. 

For folks headed out to rural areas or to the Tillamook State Forest, there are several things to keep in mind as you prepare for your trip and while you are out in the woods during regulated use. 

Planning ahead and practicing fire safety will not only help keep Oregon's forests green, it may just save you a citation.

Check out the "Fire Season" tab on this blog for information related to campfires, OHV trails and other regulated use requirements and restrictions related to public use of Oregon's State Forests.

Temporary Road Closure Lifted - Bark Shanty Road

Effective Tuesday, July 27, 2021 - Bark Shanty Road is open.  

New Online GIS-enabled Map Details Tillamook County's Trails & Outdoor Recreation Areas

 Press Release from Visit Tillamook Coast

Tillamook County offers a bounty of outdoor recreation – fishing, hiking, kayaking, camping, surfing, birdwatching, horseback riding, mountain biking, even just hanging out on the beach. Now, with a new online GIS trails and recreation map, it’s easy to plan a trip, do the things you love, and discover new places to do them.

The GIS map is at https://tillamookcoast.com/recreation-map and includes downloadable area maps if a person will be in an area without cell service. The GIS map lists more than 800 locations in 13 categories: campgrounds, parks and day use areas, trailheads, boat launches, beach and water access, dispersed campsites, equestrian trails, mountain bike trails, hiking trails, community trails, the Oregon Coast Trail, water trails, and other recreation.

“This recreation map is a ‘live map,’ one we’ll be updating with new features and data,” said Nan Devlin, executive director of Tillamook Coast Visitors Association. “We will also regularly gather information from our land managers and first responders throughout the county to keep the public informed of events, such as fires, trail changes or closures, King Tides and floods.”

 The GIS project is a collaborative effort of Tillamook County Wellness, Mt. Hebo Ranger Station, Tillamook County, Tillamook Coast Visitors Association, and New Youth Corps, which oversaw the intern, Samantha Goodwin, who gathered the database. Cardwell Creative of Salem transformed the data into a user-friendly website page.

Just click on an area of the map and a pop-up window provides information about each recreation site. Additional features will be added in the next few months, and there is a form on the website where recreation users can provide information. There are also links to public transportation, beach wheelchair reservations, and a page about prime birdwatching areas.

For more trip planning ideas, order or download a visitor guide at https://tillamookcoast.com/gettheguide. To learn about destination management – and to take our Tillamook Coast Pledge – go to https://tillamookcoast.com/caring-for-our-coast

All Campgrounds to Open Thursday, May 27th

After a year of closures, all campgrounds on the Tillamook State Forest will open for public use this Thursday, May 27th. 

Along with all previously reopened campgrounds, Nehalem Falls, Jones Creek, Gales Creek, Browns Camp, and Reehers Camp Campgrounds will open their gates throughout the day on Thursday.

Despite the return to a more normal usage pattern, group sites will remain closed until further notice and all campers are asked to follow current health and safety guidelines. Please continue to check this and other ODF sources for additional information.

Trip Planning - Oregon's Statewide Recreation Site Status Map

Oregon's natural resource agencies and outdoor recreation partners have partnered to create a Recreation Site Status Map that shows the status of popular trails, parks and campgrounds across Oregon.

This map is designed to inform people about fire impacts, restoration efforts and hazardous areas by displaying open, closed and areas of reduced services on a single map across multiple jurisdictions and regardless of the reasons for a closure.  This tool provides a one-stop shop for Oregonians and out of state visitors alike. This map ensures all of us can plan ahead and "Know Before You Go" to help reduce risk, minimize impacts to recovery efforts and recreate responsibly.

You can view the PSA Video on YouTube to learn more about the Oregon Recreation Facility Status Map .

Phased Opening of Campgrounds Starts in Oregon's State Forests (Updated 05.13.2021)

The Recreation Team is moving forward with plans for a phased opening of recreation facilities in Oregon's State Forests.  Many of these sites were not able to open in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

On Thursday, May 6, 2021 the following facilities will open in the Tillamook State Forest:

• Diamond Mill OHV Campground
• Jordan Creek OHV Campground

On Thursday, May 6, 2021 fees will resume at the following locations in the Tillamook State Forest:

• Cedar Creek Designated Sites
• North Fork Wilson Designated Sites

On Thursday, May 13, 2021 the following facility will open in the Clatsop State Forest:

• Northrup Creek Horse Camp
• Campers desiring to stay at Northrup Creek are required to book a campsite through ReserveAmerica.com prior to their stay.  Many of the campsites are exclusively available to campers with horses.

On Thursday, May 20, 2021 the following facilities will open:

• Spruce Run Campground (Clatsop State Forest)
• Beaver Eddy Campground (Clatsop State Forest)
• Morrison Eddy Campground (Tillamook State Forest)

Please be sure to read all information boards when you visit forest facilities to learn about site operation changes and COVID requirements.

Additional campground opening information will be posted on this blog as it becomes available.  Thank-you for your continued patience and support.

May is Wildfire Awareness Month

 Wildfire awareness month: Run-away debris burning leads human-caused wildfires

SALEM, Ore. – Fire departments and prevention groups urge everyone to dispose of yard debris, rather than burn it. This year’s warm and dry conditions have already caused fires to burn many acres quickly. Rather than burning yard debris, you can help prevent wildfires by chipping or recycling it.

The Oregon Department of Forestry has declared fire season for parts of the state. This year about 180 fires have already burned about 1,900 acres. April’s dry, warm conditions prompted some county-wide burn bans.

May is Wildfire Awareness Month. This is a great time to trim trees and tidy up bushes and plants around your home that could easily catch fire. This is especially true after this winter’s ice storm. Because of the dry weather, as you begin spring clean-up, the Oregon Department of Forestry and Keep Oregon Green urge you to consider alternatives to burning.

“The time to safely burn yard debris has passed,” said Keep Oregon Green President Kristin Babbs. “Waiting until next fall or winter after heavy rains prevents piles burned this spring from re-starting during the heat of the summer. Burn piles can hold heat for several weeks and start again under warm, windy conditions.” Babbs said delaying your burn plans will give the debris more time to cure. You can cover a part of the pile with plastic to keep it dry until it’s safe to burn.

If burning now is the only option to dispose of yard debris, fire prevention specialists ask people to follow safe burning practices. The following tips can help stop run-away burn piles:

• Call before you burn - Burning regulations vary by location depending on the weather and fuel conditions. If you are planning to burn, check with your local Oregon Department of Forestry district, fire protective association, or air protection authority to learn about current burning restrictions or regulations, and if you need a permit.
• Know the weather - Never burn on dry or windy days, because fires can spread out of control more easily.
• Clear a 10-foot buffer - Make sure there are no tree branches or power lines above or fuels around your pile.
• Keep burn piles small - Large burn piles can cast hot embers long distances. Use small piles, maximum of four feet by four feet. Add only a little debris as the pile burns, to keep it small.
• Always have water and fire tools nearby - When burning, have a water hose on and ready or a bucket of water, and shovel and dirt to put out the fire. Drown the pile with water, stir the coals, and drown again, repeating until the fire is out cold.
• Stay with the fire until it is out cold – State laws requires monitoring of debris burn from start to finish until it is out cold. This law is intended to ensure sparks or embers that jump from the fire can be put out quickly. Recheck burn piles. They can retain heat for several weeks and restart when the weather warms up and winds blow.
• Never use gasoline or other flammable or combustible liquids to start or speed up your fire. Every year, about 60 percent of the Oregon Burn Center cases are from yard debris burning.
• Only burn yard debris - State laws prohibit burning materials in the open that create dense smoke or noxious odors.
• Costs of run-away debris burns– State law requires the proper clearing, building, attending and extinguishing of open fires all year. Citations can cost $2,000. If your debris burn spreads out of control, you will have to pay for putting the fire out, and likely the damage to your neighbors’ properties. This can be extremely expensive.

More tips on wildfire prevention, including campfire safety, motorized equipment use, and fire-resistant landscaping can be found on the Keep Oregon Green site, www.keeporegongreen.org/. Find public use restrictions for Oregon Department of Forestry protected lands here: https://gisapps.odf.oregon.gov/firerestrictions/PFR.html.

Wilson River Trail Update (04.16.2021)

OPEN:  The portion of the Wilson River Trail east of Footbridge Trailhead is now open.

OPEN:  The portion of the Wilson River Trail running west from Footbridge Trailhead to Keening Creek Trailhead is now open.

News Release - Know Before You Go: Recreation Facility Status

Oregon’s Recreation Site Status Map shows recreation closures in wildfire impacted areas.

Check before visiting recreation sites to find alternatives to areas that are closed due to impacts from the 2020 wildfire season.

SALEM, Ore. – Oregon’s Natural and Cultural Resources Recovery Task Force released an interagency status map today to help the public navigate the status of popular recreation areas impacted by the 2020 wildfire season.

The September 2020 wildfires swept through approximately 1.3 million acres of land in Oregon across multiple jurisdictions. Many of these areas contain favorite public recreation areas still closed due to the severity of impacts and continued recovery operations. To help minimize impacts on recovery efforts, prioritize safe recreation and reduce risk, natural resource management agencies released Oregon’s Recreation Site Status Map today. This map provides a centralized hub to help inform the public as they plan to take advantage of Oregon’s many outdoor recreation opportunities.

Federal and state land management agencies, along with tourism and outdoor recreation partners, collaborated on this interagency status map that shows open, closed and reduced service areas on a single map, regardless of reason for closure and across multiple jurisdictions.

Coordinated by the State’s Wildfire Recovery efforts, this project was widely led by the Oregon Office of Outdoor Recreation with technical help from the USDA Forest Service and other partners

including Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Bureau of Land Management, US Army Corps of Engineers, Oregon Department of Forestry, and Travel Oregon.

To ensure safe recreation and reduce risk, the public is strongly encouraged to check whether an area is open before visiting and to respect closures. Some areas are unsafe to enter due to the danger of slides or damaged trails. Fire impacted areas may be undergoing recovery and restoration efforts such as road repairs, ecological surveys, reseeding, or hazardous tree removal.

Popular recreation areas will open as safety and recovery statuses improve. For more information on specific sites, please contact the responsible land management agency. For general information on the state’s recovery efforts, please reach out to fire.info@state.or.us or visit https://wildfire.oregon.gov/

Primary Contact:

Jo Niehaus, Natural and Cultural Resources Recovery Task Force PIO, jo.niehaus@oregon.gov, 503-580-9210

Agency Contacts:

Morgan Rubanow, BLM Public Affairs Specialist, mrubanow@blm.gov
Thomas Ibsen, USFS Region 6 Developed Recreation Manager, thomas.ibsen@usda.gov

Jason Cox, ODF State Forest Public Affairs Specialist, Jason.R.Cox@oregon.gov
Jaime Eder, Travel Oregon, jaime@traveloregon.gov

Ashley Massey, Oregon State Marine Board PIO, Ashley.MASSEY@oregon.gov

Trail Closures from the Valentines Day Storm (updated 03.09.2021)

ODF staff are busy assessing damage from the Valentine's Day weekend snow and ice storms.  Forest roads, recreation trails and recreation facilities sustained the various levels of damage due significant snow pack, heavy ice accumulation and the resulting falling limbs and down trees.  

Folks planning a forest visit should use extreme caution and are encouraged to consider postponing a few weeks until there is more snow melt and further assessments have been made.

Here are some closure notices:

• Bridge Creek Falls Trail is closed until further notice due to damage caused by the Valentine's Day weekend storm.

• 
  Wilson River Trail is closed west of Foot Bridge Trailhead until further notice due to significant damage to the trail tread and multiple down trees.  The closure extends all the way to the end of the Wilson River Trail at Keenig Creek Trailhead.

These pictures are a sample of the kinds of damage to the Wilson River Trail trail.  

The map below the pictures shows the closure area.

Please respect this public safety closure.

Keenig Campground and Lake Tahoe Reopen

Winter storm damage clean-up and repair at Keenig Creek Campground and project work at Lake Tahoe are complete. Both sites are open and the public is welcome to once again enjoy these areas. 

Please remember to check road and weather conditions before heading into the forest for your next adventure. 

• Check the weather forecast.  National Weather Service 
• Check road conditions. Oregon TripCheck
• Check the forest road and trail report. Oregon Department of Forestry

Additional Wilson River Trail Closure & Re-Route

There is a washout on the Wilson River Trail approximately 1/2 mile west of the Tillamook Forest Center. The entirety of the trail tread has slipped into the Wilson River and is not safe for public use.  The trail is closed at the washout, posted with signs and danger flagging.

The map below indicates a temporary re-route on the Powerline corridor.  

 

 

Wilson River Trail Bridge Closure & Re-Route

 

The bridge between Jones Creek Campground and the Jones Creek Meadow indicated by the arrow and orange text box is permanently closed due to flood damage. All users should follow the re-routed Wilson River Trail (indicated by red dots) to avoid this closed area.

Parking is available at Equestrian Trailhead.

Gold Peak Road Closure

Gold Peak Road will be closed due to timber sale activity beginning Monday, January 11. The road will be closed to all traffic Monday-Friday. The closure is expected to last 2-3 weeks.  

Update on Group Site Reservations

Due to COVID restrictions on gatherings and group sizes, the Tillamook State Forest will not be accepting group site reservations for the 2021 camping season at this time.

This halt on reservations includes the group sites at Browns Camp, Jones Creek and Nehalem Falls campgrounds.

Further updates about the 2021 camping season will continue to be posted on this blog and on the Oregon Department of Forest website.