Many Forest Areas, Recreation Sites to Reopen Sunday on Methow Valley and Tonasket Ranger Districts

Date: August 16, 2014, 3:00 p.m.

Wenatchee, WA- As of Sunday, August 17, Methow Valley and Tonasket Ranger Districts on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest are opening many of the areas that have been closed due to fire activity. Areas that are now open include:

• East Chewuch area
• Upper West Chewuch area,  including Andrews Creek and 30-Mile trailheads
• North Summit and South Summit areas
• Buttermilk Creek area south to Pateros, including Black Pine Lake, Foggy Dew, Loup Loup and JR campgrounds. West Fork Buttermilk, East Fork Buttermilk, Libby Lake, Crater Creek, Foggy Dew and Eagle-Oval Lakes trailheads
• Sawtooth Backcountry

Areas that remain closed include:

• 8-mile and Falls Creek drainages, including: Honeymoon, Ruffed Grouse, Nice, Flat, Buck Lake, Falls Creek, Chewuch and Camp 4 campgrounds; and the Billy Goat and Lake Creek Trailheads
• Little Bridge Creek and Twisp River drainages, including: War Creek, Mystery, Poplar Flat, South Creek roads and campgrounds, and the Twisp River Horse Camp; War Creek, Williams Creek, Reynolds Creek, South Creek, Gilbert, Scatter, Slate Creek and Wolf Creek trailheads.
• Road Closures: Finley Road #4100300 and Pole Pick Mountain Roads #4100500 and 4100535 as they are impassable. Other short-term temporary road closures may occur in the burned area due to heavy equipment doing road repairs.

The North Cascades Scenic Highway Corridor and Harts Pass, as well as east and west portions of the Pasayten Wilderness, Tiffany Springs Campground, Long Swamp and Chewuch trailheads were not impacted by the fires and remain open.

As always, it is a good idea to bring a saw or axe along when traveling on forest roads. Stay current on weather forecasts and avoid areas that have been severely burned. Avoid crossing an active mud or debris flow. Limit use to just traveling through burned areas to reach recreation sites outside of the burned areas. Let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return home.

For more information, contact the Methow Valley Ranger District at 509-996-4000 from 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday or go tohttp://www.fs.usda.gov/okawen/ for detailed closure orders.

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