Plumas National Forest reports that the summer recreation season is at its midpoint and recreation staff and the concessionaire on the forest are continuing to make repairs and adjustments and complete other work at recreation facilities across the forest.
On the Mount Hough Ranger District, scan and pay on Recreation.gov is now available at the Silver Lake, Snake Lake, Deanes Valley, Rock Creek and Meadow Camp campgrounds. Visitors will need to have the Recreation.gov app on their phone prior to their visit. At the campground, they can find the QR code at the kiosk and scan. Cell service is not needed to use the app to pay fees, says PNF.
Three Lakes Road is closed during work hours due to hazard tree removal. Caribou Road is closed during work hours north of Mosquito Creek due to ongoing repairs from last year’s landslide. Antelope Lake Road is closed during the week for ongoing repairs.
At Little Beaver Campground at Little Grass Valley Reservoir on the Feather River Ranger District, Loop C — a first-come, first-served overflow campground — is closed for the season due to water availability issues.
Campers at Little Grass Valley Reservoir Recreation Area are asked to help conserve water, especially at Little Beaver, Red Feather and Running Deer campgrounds. This includes ensuring faucets are completely turned off and reporting any leaks or broken plumbing to Feather River Ranger District recreation staff.
On the Beckwourth Ranger District, the boat dock at Gold Lake is in the water. However, the gangway is being repaired and caution should used getting on and off the dock, say forest personnel. As a reminder, Gold Lake Campground is now operated on a first-come, first-served basis, and Gold Lake 4×4 Camp is now requiring reservations at least three days in advance on Recreation.gov.
Reservations for Gold Lake 4×4 Camp can be made up to 30 days in advance online or by calling 877-444-6777. The reservation phone number is staffed daily 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. PDT. Recreation.gov charges an $8 service charge for online reservations, $9 for phone reservations. Service charges are still applied if a reservation is cancelled.
Visitors to Gold Lake 4×4 Camp are also expected to be responsible for human waste disposal when recreating at this site. They must bring and use approved systems, such as waste kits and waste alleviation and gelling bags that contain a drying agent and can be sealed and disposed of in a dumpster or trash at home. PNF says these systems can be purchased at a variety of outdoor stores and online.
Stage 2 fire restrictions
PNF is currently in Stage 2 fire restrictions. Campfires are only allowed in established campfire rings in specific designated recreation sites with campground hosts present listed in Exhibit A of the closure order.
California campfire permit holders can use portable campfire pits, stoves or lanterns that use gas, kerosene, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel as long as they have working shutoff valves and are used in an area that is at least 3 feet from any flammable materials.
Additionally, internal combustion engines, such as vehicles and generators, may only be used on designated roads and trails. Boat engines are exempt.
“The area in and around the Plumas is seeing continued hot and dry weather, as well as chances for thunderstorms and lightning in the forecast,” said Plumas National Forest Assistant Fire Management Officer Mitch Wilson. “It is critical for area residents and visitors to be careful with anything that can spark a wildfire and to comply with the Stage 2 fire restrictions.”
Trailer chains should be secured so that they are not dragging on the pavement and tires should be properly inflated. Spark arresters should be functioning properly on motorized equipment, including off-highway vehicles, generators and chainsaws.
“For the past two years, we have been extremely fortunate to not have a sizeable wildfire, but lightning, gusty winds and increased fire danger raises concerns for the coming weeks,” said Wilson. “We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and vigilance in being careful and preventing human-caused wildfires.”
Even with the hot weather, forest personnel advise visitors to be prepared for changing conditions and lower temperatures at night. Being prepared with layered clothing, plenty of food and water, good footwear and the right gear is highly recommended. PNF also suggests that those embarking on a forest adventure start with a full tank of gas and let someone know where they are going and when they plan to be back.
For more information on the Plumas National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/plumas.
Information provided by Plumas National Forest
