# Road Closures



## olibooger (Feb 13, 2019)

I havent been around long enough to pay attention. I tried going up a couple unspecified canyons yesterday to get somewhere to camp out the storm but the roads were closed? 
When I search I come up with UDOT but the USFS is the one posting notices. I still haven't found anywhere online to tell me where they are doing this. 
It's a little annoying to drive an hour or more each way to be told no. 

Does anyone know of a link to info on this?
Is this a normal winter thing they do?
Before storm precautions and I should have got up there sooner?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

olibooger said:


> Is this a normal winter thing they do?


Yes, quite a few roads get closed for the entire winter. Guardsman Pass and American Fork canyon both come to mind.



> Before storm precautions and I should have got up there sooner?


Define "got up there sooner". If you want your vehicle snowed in for the winter I guess getting up there before the gates lock and the roads get snowed in.

Some high country roads get plowed somewhat... the road to Currant Creek for example, they try to keep it plowed to the dam and turn the grader around there. There is no gate closure blocking the rest of the road, just a wall of snow. On a really heavy snow year, they can only plow in about halfway. So in areas like that, access can vary depending on how far the roads get cleared.

-DallanC


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

olibooger said:


> I havent been around long enough to pay attention. I tried going up a couple unspecified canyons yesterday to get somewhere to camp out the storm but the roads were closed?
> When I search I come up with UDOT but the USFS is the one posting notices. I still haven't found anywhere online to tell me where they are doing this.
> It's a little annoying to drive an hour or more each way to be told no.


PS: Here is the seasonal road closure status's:

http://udottraffic.utah.gov/CLALertViewer.aspx?CLType=3

-DallanC


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## olibooger (Feb 13, 2019)

I have found that link before but it doesn't show the roads I came up on. 
One of the areas I wanted to travel was paved and not very far from a larger main road. 
The other I understand why it would have been closed. 

I was hoping to see an actual link from the forest service saying. "Hey there fella, we are going to close these roads for the winter."

(Extended archery areas)

The search continues. 
Maybe it just comes from experience.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

There is often a link on the forest district's webpage.


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Some roads get closed every year around the same time. November I think, often there's a sign posted on the closed gate. Other roads the forest service forgets about, and a few they've rediscovered and have installed gates this last year, no thanks to last years fires.


Some roads remain open, and you'll need a snowmobile. 



I personally haven't found any rhyme or reason to what is closed and what is open. Without a snowmobile, your access to many areas will be limited to how far your willing to snowshoe in. 



You can score a pair of USGI snowshoes relatively cheaply.


EDIT:
Oh yeah, and the roads that are closed remain that way until May. Pain the butt come turkey season.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Most FS seasonal closures begin November 15. I am pretty sure if conditions warrant an earlier closure that will happen too. They have to clear the areas behind the closures before locking the gates.


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

People can't be trusted not to ruin muddy roads with full size vehicles that can't really handle those conditions. If the road was paved it probably had some graded dirt roads that come off of it that were not gated. Beyond the UDOT road closure site and this little link to a PDF on the Forest Service site that lists closed roads, I've found that you can just call the ranger office if there really is no other way to know and you just hafta.

With the snow again on Tuesday it's a safe bet that all unpaved Forest Service roads are closed until May (in the north, anyway.)


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