Mt. Pinos Extends Closure of Seasonal Roads and Off Highway Vehicle Trails Through June 1

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SOLVANG, Calif.— Los Padres National Forest officials today announced that all Mt. Pinos Ranger District roads and off highway vehicle (OHV) trails listed on the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) seasonal designation will remain closed through June 1.

The Mt. Pinos Ranger District roads and OHV trails experienced significant damage from a series of powerful winter storms. These roads and OHV trails remained closed through the winter season as part of the annual Seasonal Closure. This closure typically expires on May 1, however the soil saturation levels and melting snow have limited access to many of these areas to conduct storm damage repairs. The extended closure will allow roads and OHV trails to dry and permit partner groups and volunteers to clean up and repair these areas so they can be safely reopened to the public.

Providing safe recreation opportunities for visitors while protecting natural resources remains our highest priority. Closing sites for any reason is not an action we take lightly. We are working with our state and local partners to determine the best path forward to safely reopen closed areas. Forest personnel continue to coordinate with city, county, state, and federal partners to prioritize, plan, and implement the storm damage response and recovery. The Los Padres Forest Association and OHV volunteers, among others, have provided critical support both in assessing damaged areas and leading repair efforts.

For more information on the Mt. Pinos Ranger District Seasonal Roads and Trails, visit:

https://usfs-public.box.com/shared/static/48el6tjlnqa6cj65ao5ugcfyxq3gacfr.pdf.

For additional information, please visit Los Padres National Forest’s website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf.