Los Padres extends Monterey Ranger District

closure of roads and trails until May 15

GOLETA, Calif. – Los Padres National Forest officials today extended the temporary closure of roads, trails and trailheads on the Monterey Ranger District until May 15 to align with current state and local guidance for safe social distancing and to ensure the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers and employees.

These roads, trails, and trailheads were drawing increasingly heavy vehicle traffic and large groups of people, creating circumstances where social distancing was not possible. Additionally, some roads, trails, and trailheads are located adjacent to residential properties and could potentially contribute to exposure risks to local residents. Roads and trails may create unmanageable vectors for further community spread of COVID-19.

This forest closure order includes the following:

Roads

·         Tassajara Road – Forest Road No. 18S02

·         Piney Creek Road – Forest Road No. 19S10

·         Milpitas Road – Forest Road No. 19S09

·         Nacimiento-Fergusson Road – Forest Road No. 22S01

·         Central Coast Road/Cone Peak Road – Forest Road No. 20S05.3

·         South Coast Ridge Road – Forest Road No. 22S05

·         Baldwin Ranch Road – Forest Road No. 24S06

·         Plaskett Ridge Road – Forest Road No. 23S02

·         North Coast Ridge Road – Forest Road No. 20S05

·         Los Burros (Willow Creek) Road – Forest Road No. 23S01

·         Sycamore Canyon Road – Forest Road No. 19S05

Trails

·         Boranda Trail – Forest Road No. 20S03

·         DeAngulo Trail – Forest Trail No. 2E07

·         Kirk Creek Trail – Forest Trail No. 4E17

·         Prewitt Loop Trail – Forest Trail No. 5E06

·         Sand Dollar/Jade Cove Trail – Forest Trail No. 5E13

·         Cruickshank Trail – Forest Trail No. 5E10

·         Soda Springs Trail – Forest Trail No. 5E17

·         Buckeye Trail – Forest Trail No. 5E09

·         Salmon Creek Trail – Forest Trail No. 6E11

Trailheads

·         San Carpoforo

·         Salmon Creek

·         Buckeye

·         Soda Springs

·         Cruickshank

·         Prewitt South

·         Prewitt North

·         Mill Creek

·         Kirk Creek

·         De Angulo

·         Boronda

This closure is an interim measure. Los Padres National Forest will continue to evaluate the emerging circumstances around COVID-19 and follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, as well as State and local health departments to ensure that the safety of our employees and our visitors remains our top priority.

Forest Service closes developed recreation sites throughout California until May 15

GOLETA, Calif. – The Pacific Southwest Region which includes Los Padres National Forest announced that developed recreation sites will remain closed through May 15. This closure order is being extended to discourage large gatherings of people and promote safe social distancing of staying more than six feet apart.

“Developed recreation sites” refers to designated recreational use areas such as campgrounds, day use sites and picnic areas. Information on individual recreation sites is available on Los Padres National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf.

Outdoor recreation is beneficial to mental and physical health but must be practiced safely. In light of the statewide shelter-in-place order issued by the Governor of California, we continue to ask visitors to recreate locally.  

If you do plan on visiting the National Forest please be aware that:

• No trash removal is currently offered – please pack out all trash and waste
• All toilet facilities are currently closed – please plan accordingly
• Avoid high-risk activities – law enforcement and search and rescue operations may be limited
• If an area is crowded, please search for a less occupied location

Closing any site for any reason is not an action we take lightly, but protecting our visitors and employees remains our highest priority. We are working with our state and local partners to determine the best path forward to safely reopen closed sites.

Please keep health, safety and the environment in mind when visiting National Forests. Your personal responsibility is critical to ensuring public safety and preventing further restrictions. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our national forests safe and healthy for everyone’s use.

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