Salem, Ore. – Most of the Santiam State Forest south of Highway 22 will re-open October 1, along with non-motorized access to the Stout Creek block north of the highway.
This includes re-opening the Rock Creek area, which was not damaged by fire.
The Rock Creek Campground remains closed for the season. Additionally, the Santiam Horse Camp and associated trails are still closed as recovery efforts continue after 2020’s fires.
The Stout Creek area north of Highway 22 was affected by fire and is open to non-motorized access only.
Maps, closure areas, and anticipated re-opening timelines for popular areas are posted to the Santiam State Forest recovery site at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/recreation/Pages/santiam-state-forest.aspx. Re-openings will also be announced on ODF’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Note that the ODF North Cascade District is still in fire season, and some restrictions on public use are still in place. Visit Oregon.gov/odf and click “Fire Restrictions & Closures” for more information.
Many of the Santiam’s popular recreation areas, like Shellburg Falls, Rocky Top and Natural Arch, and the High Lakes area remain closed due to damage from 2020’s wildfires.
In closed areas, some of the recovery and restoration activities include re-establishing and repairing trails, replacing infrastructure like signs and bridges, removing hazard trees, and post-fire timber harvesting in some areas.
No matter where you go, outdoor activity comes with some level of risk. Here are some safety tips:
- Do not enter closed areas.
- Take extra caution when recreating in burned areas.
- Be careful when driving on single-lane gravel roads in the forest. Active recovery and logging operations are underway. Keep to the right and anticipate oncoming traffic such as trucks, heavy equipment, and other vehicles.
- Many forest roads cross multiple ownerships, and levels of road maintenance can vary accordingly.
- Respect all land closures, public and private.