Forest Road 4N85 closed on Stanislaus National Forest for repairs

SONORA, Calif. – Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken signed forest order STF-16-2020-03 on the Stanislaus National Forest so repairs can be made to FR 4N85, which was damaged during significant winter weather in 2017. View a copy of the forest order and accompanying map.

A 2.7-mile stretch of FR 4N85 received damage in six locations from an area known as the quarry, near the junction of FSR 4N88, to Sand Bar Flat Campground, a small, 10-unit recreation facility located on the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River. FR 4N85 also provides access to the Spring Gap-Stanislaus Hydroelectric Project facilities and to the Beardsley/Donnell Hydroelectric Project facilities. Despite the damage in 2017, safe access has been possible with safety signage and by placing barriers to narrow the road to a single lane in some locations.

Repair work on FR 4N85 is scheduled to begin May 4, 2020. “Because the road is so narrow in the steep canyon, it is impossible to conduct the work while the road is open to the public,” Kuiken said. “As a result, I decided to close 4N85 until repairs can be completed, which should be around May 21.”

The closure should add less than a week longer than the road and area closure order which is scheduled be in effect through May 15. Late winter storms and saturated ground conditions have prevented road repairs from beginning earlier than May 4, 2020.

To view all forest orders, visit the Stanislaus National Forest web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/stanislaus/alerts-notices.