One of two dirt roads that cross parts of the San Bernardino National Forest west of Idyllwild will be closed Monday for a month, with periodic availability, in order to facilitate post-winter upgrades, while the other mountain byway will be taken out of service next week, also for a month.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, beginning Monday morning, Bee Canyon Truck Trail, often referred to by federal officials as “Bee Canyon Road,” will be shuttered on weekdays until April 9.
The road, which runs north-south through Bee Canyon and connects to Highway 74 on the western edge of the national forest, will be available on weekends for recreational enthusiasts, officials said.
USFS spokesman Zach Behrens told City News Service that if people want to access the public shooting range in Bee Canyon during the week, they can still get there, but it will entail taking detours via Pine Cove, using Highway 243 and then taking either San Jacinto Ridge Road or Indian Creek Road.
Additionally, beginning March 16, Idyllwild Control Road will be shut down completely between Apela Drive in Idyllwild to the east and the Chimney Flats area to the west. The hard closure will remain in effect until April 16, according to the USFS.
“My goal is to limit future long-term closures so visitors can enjoy them all year long,” USFS San Jacinto District Ranger Julie Hall said. “I’m asking engineers and crews to repair the roads in a way that avoids major future washouts and improves the surrounding natural resources.”
Along Bee Canyon, crews will focus on realigning a storm channel so that the road isn’t overwhelmed during major precipitation, and on Idyllwild Control Road, crews will make drainage improvements to prevent water pooling and promote surface integrity, officials said.
Hall said the projects may be completed earlier, depending on how quickly crews advance.
More information is available via the San Jacinto Ranger District Office at 909-382-2921.