Upper Hyalite Road Closing Temporarily Due to Seasonal Conditions Bozeman, MT - The Bozeman Ranger District will be closing Hyalite Road to motorized use beginning at the Hyalite Dam on Friday, March 21 at 12:01 a.m. Hyalite Road accesses the popular Hyalite Canyon south of Bozeman, Montana. Skiers, snowshoers and other non-motorized users can still park at the Blackmore Day Use area and use the road beyond the gate. The closure is needed because of the significant amount of snowfall the area recently received, the piece of equipment Gallatin County would use to plow this portion of the road is unavailable, and the money budgeted for plowing has been spent. Hyalite Road from the mouth of Hyalite Canyon to the Blackmore Day Use site at the reservoir is open. If the area receives additional snowfall making it difficult to drive this portion of the road the Forest Service will consider closing this section as well. Gallatin County was able to plow the road on Wednesday, March 19th. Each year Hyalite Road closes to motorized use at the mouth of the canyon during spring break-up on April 1 – May 15th. As spring comes and the days get warmer this is a great opportunity for bikers and hikers to experience the area in a different way. Hyalite Road is plowed each winter as part of a partnership between the Gallatin National Forest, Gallatin County and Friends of Hyalite. Hyalite Canyon is one of the most popular national forest recreation destinations in Montana, receiving over 20,000 winter recreationists monthly. “Plowing Hyalite Road is a great asset for this community. It provides access to fantastic winter recreation areas and provides families an opportunity to enjoy this beautiful landscape during the winter months,” said Lisa Stoeffler, Bozeman District Ranger. “The agreement to plow the road so we could leave it open during the winter months was made with this community, Gallatin County, and Friends of Hyalite. However, this winter we find ourselves in a situation where we are unable to plow the upper section and need to close it to address public safety concerns.” “Friends of Hyalite wholeheartedly supports the closure of Hyalite Roads above Hyalite Reservoir,” said Joe Josephson, Friends of Hyalite Executive Director. “The county crews have done a tremendous job over the winter so we can all enjoy Bozemans favorite backyard. This year, the recent storm cycles have really made for tough driving beyond the dam and no one really wants to see the old Hyalite Rodeo days again.” Josephson continued saying the unique collaboration of keeping this Forest Service road open for our benefit by using county crews requires continued financial help from the community to pay for plowing costs. “This year we simply ran out of money. Donations to Friends of Hyalite directly pays for plowing and can help avoid this situation in the future. Please visit us at hyalite.org to find out more and make a donation.” For additional information please contact the Bozeman Ranger District at (406) 522-2520 or visit us online at fs.usda.gov/gallatin . - FS –
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:24:52 +0000
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