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Lower Quartz Road #601 Temporary Closure due to Potential Salvage Sale
A temporary road closure will be in effect starting July 1st, 2026 for the Lower Quartz Creek Road #601, near Libby, MT. The area was heavily impacted by the winter wind events, leaving a high volume of blowdown. Forest Service personnel are addressing the blowdown via salvage sale operations to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk.
The purpose of closing the road to all motorized public access is to ensure that the blowdown trees remain intact and the commercial value of the proposed sale is not compromised. The closure will also provide for public safety during harvest operations, which are expected to begin in August into the fall months. The NEPA for the proposed blowdown sale is still under development and will be publicly available soon.
The closure will only be in effect until October 15th, 2026 at the latest, if not rescinded earlier. This will allow the road to remain open through the Montana general rifle hunting season, until the gate's scheduled seasonal closure date of November 30th. The closure only pertains to motorized traffic but the area still remains open to non-motorized travel. However, if harvest operations begin, please use caution and be aware of heavy equipment and truck traffic.
For more information, please view the full closure order and map below or call the Libby Ranger District office at 406-293-7773.
Alert Start Date: June 30, 2026
Alert End Date: October 15, 2026
Order Number: 01-14-05-26-12
Contact Information
Contact Name: Libby Ranger District
Contact Number: 406-293-7773
Associated Documents
Forest Order
U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service
Kootenai National Forest
Libby Ranger District
Forest Service Road #601 (Lower Quartz Creek) Closure
PROHIBITIONS
Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50 (b) the following is prohibited on the National Forest System (NFS) road #601 on the Libby Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest, described below and shown on the attached map incorporated into this Order as Exhibit A ( “Described NFS Road #601”):
1. 36 C.F.R. § 261.54(a). Possessing or operating a motor vehicle on described road.
EXEMPTIONS
Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:
1. 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 or a written determination by a Forest Service authorized officer that a permit is not required under 36 C.F.R. § 251.50(e)(1) or (2).
2. Any Federal, State, or Local Officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting resource in the performance of an official duty.
3. Any contractor or subcontractor associated with a contracted salvage sale contract within the closure area. Exemption is limited to activities associated with the salvage sale harvest.
DESCRIBED AREA/ROADS/TRAILS
National Forest System Road 601 (Lower Quartz Creek) from the seasonal gate closure at approximate mile post 1.35 to its terminus.
PURPOSE
For public safety during timber harvest operations and to protect the commercial value of timber associated with a planned salvage sale on and adjacent to the road, a temporary closure order will be in place for the Lower Quartz Creek Road #601 beginning July 1st through October 15th. The area was heavily impacted by the winter wind events, leaving a high volume of blowdown. Forest Service personnel are addressing the blowdown via salvage sale operations to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk. Harvest operations are expected to begin in August and continue throughout the summer and fall. The Lower Quartz Road (NFS #601) will be closed to all motorized public access to ensure that blowdown trees remain intact and the commercial value of the planned sale is not compromised. The road will be closed until October 15, 2026 unless activities on the road, or adjacent to the road, are completed earlier.
IMPLEMENTATION
1. This Order shall be in effect from July 1, 2026 through October 15, 2026 at, unless rescinded earlier.
2. A map identifying the Described Roads is attached and made part of this Order as Exhibit A. For a digital version of this Order and Exhibit A, go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/kootenai/alerts
3. Unless otherwise expressly defined in this Order, the terms used in this Order are defined by the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture, 36 C.F.R. Chapter II, Parts 200-299. If there are terms in this Order that are not expressly defined in the Order or 36 C.F.R. Chapter II, Parts 200-299, their meaning shall be determined by their plain language definitions.
4. A violation of the above prohibitions is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. 16 U.S.C. § 551; 18 U.S.C. §§ 3559, 3571, and 3581.
5. Contact the Libby Ranger District in Libby, MT at (406) 283-7773, and Kootenai National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Libby, MT at (406) 293-6211, for more information about this Order.
6. This Order supersedes any previous Orders prohibiting the same or similar acts on the same described road.
Signed and issued on 6/30/2026.
/s/ Chad W. Benson
Forest Supervisor
Kootenai National Forest
Maps
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