Shasta-Trinity National Forest Announces Road Closure on Wild Mad Road

Redding, Calif., May 14, 2025 — The U.S. Forest Service issued a closure order for Wild Mad Road near the community of Payne within the boundaries of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The closure is in effect from Saturday, May 15, 2025, until May 15, 2027, or when the order is lifted. 

Wild Mad Road experienced failure of a culvert beneath it, which resulted in a large sinkhole that compromised the roadway. 

The sinkhole spans the width of the road and presents a hazard to public safety. The sinkhole appeared on Wild Mad Road at the Dark Creek Canyon crossing southeast of the community of Payne in Trinity County.

Those exempt from this order include: 

• Persons with Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 (permit for use of roads, trails, or areas restricted by regulation or order), specifically exempting them from this order.
• Any federal, state, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire- fighting force in the performance of an official duty. 

This prohibition is in addition to the general prohibitions contained in 36 C.F.R. Part 261, Subpart A. Violation of this prohibition is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months.

For more information about the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/shasta-trinity

About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other.

The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.