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Alerts

Forest Alerts

  • Failing Culvert on Oakwood Bottoms Road FSR # 786

    Be aware there is a failing culvert on Oakwood Bottoms Road FSR # 786. The culvert is approximately 0.6 miles off of Route 3, just before the railroad tracks.

    Alert Start Date: December 2, 2025

  • Oakwood Bottoms Waterfowl Hunting 2025-2026

    Flooding of Oakwood Bottom Units is underway. Due to storm damage to power lines, the units in the southern portion of Oakwood Bottoms will not be filled this year. To offset this loss of floodable units, we plan to flood as many of the northern units as possible.   

    Alert Start Date: November 5, 2025

  • Public Health and Safety Closure Within the V-Plow Timber Sale Area

    This order aims to protect the public health and safety of users recreating on National Forest System (NFS) lands within Township 11S, Range 5E, Sections 21 & 22 of Pope County, Illinois, as depicted in

    Alert Start Date: September 30, 2025
    Forest Order: #Order Number: 09-08-25-05

  • Water temporarily unavailable at Garden of the Gods

    Water is temporarily off at Pharaoh Campground in the Garden of the Gods Recreation Area. Please plan accordingly. We apologize for the inconvenience and will provide updates to our social media pages and the website when it is available again. 

    Alert Start Date: September 30, 2025

  • 09-08-25-03 Shawnee Wilderness and Watersheds

    This order aims to protect the public health and safety of users recreating on National Forest System (NFS) lands by outlining restrictions in wilderness and watershed areas, including stock use. 
    Alert Start Date: September 29, 2025
    Forest Order: #09-08-25-03

  • 09-08-25-02 Occupancy and Use

    This order aims to protect the public health and safety of users recreating on National Forest System (NFS) lands by outlining conditions of occupancy and use.

    Alert Start Date: September 25, 2025
    Forest Order: #09-08-25-02

  • 09-08-25-04 Restrictions for the Use of Natural Areas

    This order aims to protect the public health and safety of users recreating on National Forest System (NFS) lands by outlining restrictions in natural areas.
    Alert Start Date: September 24, 2025
    Forest Order: #09-08-25-04

  • McClure Road Closed

    McClure Road (Forest Service Road 772) is closed at the low-water crossing approximately 0.1 mile past the Forest Service boundary (0.8 mile from Little Kinkaid Road).  We apologize for the inconvenience, but the road will remain closed to all vehicular traffic until a culvert can be replace

    Alert Start Date: May 12, 2025

  • Road Conditions

    Current area road conditions can be found at the Illinois Department of Transportation.

    Alert Start Date: March 26, 2025

  • Reporting Trail Conditions

    Call (618) 658-1312 to report trail conditions, give feedback about the trails, and ask questions about the forest trail system.
    Alert Start Date: March 26, 2025

  • Trail Segment Closed - Lincoln Memorial

    The walking path at Lincoln Memorial Day-use site has been affected by heavy rainfall, which has caused soil erosion and subsidence at the spillway of the Lincoln Memorial pond.

    Alert Start Date: July 10, 2024

  • Narrow Bridge near IL Iron Furnace

    Big Creek Bridge

    Alert Start Date: May 23, 2024

  • Cave and Mine Closure Order

    This order aims to protect the public health and safety of users recreating on National Forest System (NFS) lands by outlining cave and mine closures.

    Alert Start Date: October 28, 2021
    Forest Order: #09-08-22-01
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