Current Conditions
Before traveling to the forest, leave your trip information with a relative or friend regarding where you are going and when you are planning to return. Please drive with caution in the forest.
Road conditions on the forest are dynamic, especially given the post-fire hazards and storm damage. Snow and ice can be expected at higher elevations. Downed trees are possible on any roads within the forest, regardless of the time of year, but particularly during and after storms and wind events. Please note, this is not a comprehensive list, and many serious road issues may not be reported here.
Do not drive around barriers, locked gates or "Closed Road" signs. This can further undermine the stability of waterlogged ground, causing additional, long-term damage. Roads may be closed to prevent additional damage and further road repairs.
Post-fire Hazards: Please be aware nearly 90% of the Mendocino National Forest has burned within the last four years. A burned landscape presents a number of safety hazards that either did not exist prior to the fire or have been exacerbated by the effects of the fire. In some cases, these hazardous conditions persist for several years after a fire. Landslides, hazard trees, rockfall and other debris may block roads at any time. Management activities, such as hazard tree work, burning, road repairs may also impact road accessibility or conditions. Be very aware of your surroundings, follow warning signs, area closures and directions from agency personnel, and pay particular attention to these potential safety hazards.
Winter conditions: Please be advised that forest roads are NOT plowed so driving conditions are hazardous, slippery, and may be impassable. Even with good snow tires and four-wheel drive, less than a foot of snow is enough to get a vehicle stuck! See estimated current snow depth.
Road Updates
Several roads in the forest are maintained by county road departments. Please visit county websites for more information.
- Glenn County Road Conditions
- Colusa County Road Closures & Conditions
- Tehama County Road Closures
- Lake County Public Works
- Mendocino County Road Closures
Blands Cove Road:
- Slide reported.
CR 301 (Elk Mountain Rd. maintained by Lake County):
- From Upper Lake: Road is passable with high clearance vehicle. There is a slide area that narrows to one lane. Please drive with caution.
- From the Potter Valley side: Four-wheel drive/chains advised in winter.
FH7 (County road maintained by Mendocino and Glenn Counties):
- Passable. FH7 is not plowed during the winter.
M1:
- M1 North of Lake Pillsbury: passable.
- M1 South from Eel River Station to Hull Mountain and Lake Pillsbury is passable.
- M1 North at Bar Creek passable (temporary repair). Please note this slide can fail at any time particularly during and after storms.
M2: Conditions unknown.
M3:
- From the east side: passable, recently graded.
- From the west side: passable, high clearance recommended.
M4: Passable.
M5: Passable.
M6: Passable, recently graded.
M8: Conditions unknown. Damage on road surface.
M9: Conditions unknown.
M10:
- From the east: There is a narrow area above Fouts Springs that can slide at any time. Drive with caution. Large cracks in pavement. Construction work in progress impacting traffic flow and access to Letts Lake basin. Road work may cause delays or have closures. See Forest Alerts for latest M10 Road Status.
- From the west: Rice Fork crossing can be impassable during winter/spring due to snowmelt and high water crossing.
M21: Passable. Slide east of Hammerhorn has been repaired.
M22: Passable.
M61: Passable, recently graded.
Forest managers can temporarily close off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails when two inches of rainfall occur within a 24-hour period or if the soils become saturated after precipitation events. The wet weather OHV trail closures restrict the use of OHV trails when conditions are too wet to sustain use without causing soil loss, impacting water quality, damaging trail tread and putting public safety at risk.
Wet weather rain gauges are one source of data that forest managers use to determine wet weather trail closures. Forest managers also use weather forecasts and field observations to determine if soils are too saturated for trail use.
The forest’s website, social media and visitor services are the best source for the latest information on any closures.
How do I use wet weather rain gauges?
Forest officials monitor precipitation records using RAWS data and looking at the 24-hour estimated accumulated precipitation. Trail users can check the precipitation data online before traveling to the forest. You’ll need to specifically look at the RAWS dataset on the MesoWest website and select the gauges that the Mendocino National Forest uses to determine wet weather trail closures.
- For the Grindstone District, look at the Stonyford gauge.
- For the Upper Lake District, look at the Elk Mountain (Howard Mill) rain gauge. If the Howard Mill rain gauge is inoperable, then the Konocti gauge is used.
Note on time zones: The MesoWest website defaults to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). To view the data in the Pacific time zone, you’ll need to select “Change to Local Time,” located on the side menu.
How long do wet weather trail closures last?
Temporary wet weather trail closures remain in place until no measurable precipitation is recorded within 48 consecutive hours. By issuing these closures as precipitation events occur, forest officials provide for public safety, protect natural resources during and after storms and allow time for trails to dry out prior to resuming use.
How can I find out if there is a wet weather trail closure?
You can get information about wet weather trail closures from the Mendocino National Forest website under Alerts. You can also subscribe to the forest’s mailing list to get the latest updates in your email inbox.
Why is there a trail closure when there hasn’t been two inches of rain in 24 hours?
Some precipitation events may not hit two inches within 24 hours, however the soil can be saturated to the point that the trail system would be negatively impacted. In this situation forest officials could issue a temporary wet weather trail closure to protect the trail system and minimize damage to natural resources.
See Alerts for current closures
Are you cutting fuelwood today or a contractor operating in the forest? Check today's Project Activity Levels.
Fuelwood Cutters and Service Contracts use the Project Activity Level (PAL) system. Contractors must follow Activity Level requirements specified in their contract. For Mendocino National Forest PAL, please call (530) 934-1240 for today’s recording.
Forest Supervisors have authority to issue orders which close or restrict use of the described areas within the area over which he/she has jurisdiction. See Alerts for current forest orders and closures.