Aufderheide Drive 19 reopens

Forest Service Road 19 (Aufderheide Scenic Byway) to Reopen October 14

Firefighters and road crews have been working diligently to mitigate hazards such as fire weakened trees and unstable slopes along Forest Service Road 19 (Aufderheide Scenic Byway) to make the road safe again for travelers. The road is scheduled to reopen in its entirety on Saturday, October 14th, just in time for peak fall foliage viewing along the byway.

Travelers along the newly opened road may encounter burned areas and are encouraged to drive cautiously as recent rains could cause debris to fall on the road without warning.

Many of the campgrounds along the road are closed for the season, but Cougar Crossing campground will reopen to campers with the opening of the road.

All trails into the Three Sisters Wilderness area on the Willamette National Forest remain closed and Highway 242 (McKenzie Pass) remains closed to all traffic. For updates on the highway visit tripcheck.com or call 511.

Visitors heading to the Willamette National Forest should be aware that while some closures have been reduced or modified many areas remain closed due to fires across the forest. Information and detailed maps of all closures can be found at http://go.usa.gov/xRnz7.

Changes to fire closures are posted to the Willamette National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/willamette as well as on social media on Facebook and Twitter @willamettenf.