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  • San Isabel National Forest Occupancy and Use Restrictions

    This order affects the Leadville, Salida and San Carlos ranger districts.

    The purpose of this order is to protect natural resources and public health and safety.

    Please see the attached document for more information and associated maps. 

Alert Start Date: April 5, 2024

Alert End Date: December 1, 2026

Order Number: 02-12-00-24-05

Contact Information

Contact Name: Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, Supervisor's Office

Contact Number: 719-553-1400

Associated Documents

Forest Order #02-12-00-24-05

Forest Order

U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service  

San Isabel National Forest 

Leadville, Salida, and San Carlos Ranger Districts 

Occupancy and Use Prohibitions 

PROHIBITIONS 

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a):  

The following are prohibited on all National Forest System (NFS) lands within the Leadville, Salida, and San Carlos Ranger Districts of the San Isabel National Forest:    

  1. Camping at any location within the same 20-mile radius for more than 14 days within any continuous 30-day period. 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(a) 
  2. Camping within 100 feet of a body of water (such as a lake, stream, pond, or river) unless in a Forest Service developed recreation site or designated dispersed site. 36 C.F.R. 261.58(e) 

The following are prohibited on the NFS lands within the Leadville, Salida, and San Carlos Ranger Districts of the San Isabel National Forest, described further and shown on Exhibits E (Leadville), Exhibit C (Salida), and Exhibit D (San Carlos): 

  1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, except in Forest Service developed recreation sites and designated dispersed sites, in the South Cottonwood Creek Drainage, Chalk Creek Drainage, O’Haver Lake/Campground (Exhibit C Salida), Cuchara Creek Recreation Area and Purgatoire River (Exhibit D San Carlos). 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(a) 
  2. Camping, except in Forest Service developed recreation sites and designated dispersed sites, in the Turquoise Lake Recreation Area, Twin Lakes Recreation Area (Exhibit E Leadville), South Cottonwood Creek Drainage, Chalk Creek Drainage, O’Haver Lake/Campground (Exhibit C Salida), Cuchara Creek Recreation Area, and Purgatoire River (Exhibit D San Carlos). 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(e)  
  3. Going into or being in the Dump Wall (Exhibit E Leadville). 36 C.F.R. § 261.53(a), 36 C.F.R. § 261.53(e), 36 C.F.R. § 261.53(f) 
  4. Being in the Described Areas between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM except a person who is camping or visiting a person camping in a Forest Service developed recreation site or designated dispersed site, in the Turquoise Lake Recreation Area and the Twin Lakes Recreation Area (Exhibit E Leadville). 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(u) 
  5. Possessing or using a bicycle off NFS roads, except on NFS trails, in the Four Mile Travel Management Area (Exhibit C Salida). 36 C.F.R. § 261. 

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 force in the performance of an official duty. 

DESCRIBED AREAS 

Described Area Name Described Area Description 
Leadville Ranger District (Exhibit E) 
Turquoise Lake Recreation Area  All NFS lands within the following boundaries: powerlines on the north, NFS Road 104 on the west and south, and the Forest boundary on the west. These lands are in Sections 7, 8, 17, 18, 19 and 20, Township 9 South, Range 80 West, and Sections 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, Township 9 South, Range 81 West, 6th P.M. 
Twin Lakes Recreation Area All NFS lands within the following boundaries: Colorado Highway 82 and Lake County Road 24 on the north, NFSR 174 on the west and southwest, and the Colorado Trail (NFS Tail 1776) on the south. These lands are in Sections 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23, Township 11 South, Range 80 West, 6th P.M. 
Dump Wall All NFS lands approximately 2.3 miles west of the Village of Twin Lakes, adjacent to Colorado Highway 82.  Area is approximately 4 acres in size and is behind a closed gate.  These lands are in Sections 25 and 26, Township 11 South, Range 81 South, 6th P.M. 
Salida Ranger District (Exhibit C) 
South Cottonwood Creek  All NFS lands within ¼ mile of NFS Road (NFSR) 344 beginning at the Forest boundary and ending ½ mile west of Cottonwood Lake. 
Chalk Creek All NFS lands within ½ mile of Chalk Creek beginning at the Forest boundary and ending at the town of St. Elmo.  
O’Haver Lake/Campground All NFS lands within ¼ mile of O’Haver Lake and O’Haver Campground. 
Four Mile Travel Management Area All NFS lands within Township 12 South, Range 78 West; Township 13 South, Range 78 West; Township 13 South, Range 77 West; Township 13 South, Range 76 West; Township 14 South, Range 78 West, Township 14 South, Range 77 West, Township 14 South, Range 76 West, Township 15 South, Range 77 West, and Township 15 South, Range 76 West, 6th P.M. 
San Carlos Ranger District (Exhibit D) 
Cuchara Creek Recreation Area  All NFS lands within 1/16 mile (330 feet) of NFS Road (NFSR) 422 and NFSR 422A beginning at Colorado 12 and ending at Indian Creek Trailhead.  
Purgatoire River  All NFS lands within 1/16 mile (330 feet) of NFSR 34 beginning at the Forest boundary and ending at Purgatoire campground. 

PURPOSE 

The purpose of this Order is to protect natural resources and public health and safety. 

IMPLEMENTATION 

  1. This Order shall be in effect from April 5, 2024, at 12:01 a.m. through December 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., unless rescinded. 
  2. For a digital version of this Order and Exhibits, go to Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands - Alerts & Closures (usda.gov) 
  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 Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands at (719) 553-1400 for more information about this Order. 
  6. This Order supersedes any previous Orders prohibiting the same or similar acts in the same Described Areas. 

 

Ryan Nehl 

Forest and Grassland Supervisor 

Pike-San Isabel National Forests & 

Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands 

Maps

Images below will open full size in a new window.

Pike-San Isabel National Forests Vicinity Map (Exhibit A)
Pike-San Isabel National Forests Vicinity Map
San Isabel National Forest Map (Exhibit B)
San Isabel National Forest Map
Leadville Ranger District Map (Exhibit E)
Leadville Ranger District Map
San Carlos Ranger District Map (Exhibit D)
San Carlos Ranger District Map
Salida Ranger District Map (Exhibit C)
Salida Ranger District Map

Last updated March 5, 2026

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