Lost Horse Road to close in August for bridge, culvert replacement

The Bitterroot National Forest (BNF) is planning to install a new bridge and replace numerous culverts this summer along Lost Horse Road on the Darby-Sula Ranger District, according to a statement released by the agency.

The work is scheduled to begin Aug. 1 and is expected to take approximately one month to complete. Lost Horse Road (Forest Road #429) is scheduled to be closed at the lower gate, mile post 5, during the month of August for the project. Heavy equipment from the project will be parked along the road, making it impassable.

The Lost Horse cabin rental and Schumaker Campground at Twin Lakes will also be unavailable during this time. Local trails will remain open, but parking areas (past the lower gate) will not be accessible by vehicles. The closure is needed "in order for the project to be completed in a safe and timely manner," according to BNF.

Two failing culverts at Ten-mile Creek will be replaced by the new bridge, and five undersized culverts at Twelve-mile Creek will be replaced with new, larger culverts. The work is located in areas and at crossings that have recently experienced washouts during high water events, damaging the road, and spilling large amounts of sediment into Lost Horse Creek, according to BNF.

“We realize the inconvenience of the road closure at this time of year,” said Steve Brown, Darby-Sula district ranger. “We are working closely with contractors and partners to get this work done in as timely a manner as possible and will be looking to re-open the road as soon as the work is completed.”

In addition to improving public access and safety, the project will also restore critical aquatic habitats and help protect native fish populations including bull trout and Westslope cutthroat trout, according to BNF. Lost Horse Creek is one of the most important westside tributaries for bull trout in the Bitterroot River. Bull trout are currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Project partners include the Clark Fork Coalition, Trout Unlimited, local irrigation districts, Ravalli County, along with numerous federal and state agencies including Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP), and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

For more information, contact the Darby-Sula Ranger District at 406-821-3913 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/bitterroot.