With more heavy rains and winter storms in the forecast, we figured this is a timely opportunity to remind you about a few winter best practices on the forest.

Hazard & Down Tree Reporting

Many of you are using our Trail & Road Issue report form to notify us of down trees, blockages, or other hazards. Thank you! Please encourage others to use this form as it helps us stay organized with tracking and addressing issues across the forest.

Muddy Trails

As the rain continues, please remember to follow our wet trail policy and avoid using muddy or water‑logged natural surface trails. Foot, hoof, paw, and bike traffic on saturated trails can cause significant damage to the tread and surrounding vegetation.

During or right after a heavy rain event, we recommend sticking to roads and graveled routes such as Dan’s, Horse, Ridge, Alpha, Homestead, Section 36, Powder House, and Calloway. Check out our maps here.

Parking - please don’t block gates

We love seeing so many people enjoying the forest year-round. Even on rainy weekends, the parking lots can be surprisingly full! When space gets tight, please be sure not to block forest gates. These access points must remain clear for forest operations and for emergency vehicles.