HikeArizona.COM

While this is very fresh in everyone's mind, I got a heads up from a camp mate about a partial closure to motor vehicles on this road. It will impact some of the best campsites.

"Hi Mark,

Here is info I got from Steve S. in HHC Hiking Club about future FR 660 into Ash Creek closure. I thought you would be interested.

The Forest Service is planning to close the last 1.47 miles of FR 660 to cars/trucks, but not ATVs. The reason stated to me was FR 660 goes through a creek bed that is hard to maintain and according to an earlier designation of the area, trucks/cars should not have been allowed in the area much earlier. A possible heads up from this is you might want to check the latest Coronado National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map - https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/coro ... width=full – or other reference if you have not been on a Forest Road in a while. "

Since when does a road that is open to motor vehicle use need to be [able to be] maintained by the FS? LOL

The current MVUM has the road ending at the starting point of the official route for the HAZ East Divide Trail. The official route for Bassett Peak starts just 250 feet past that point. The official route for Ash Creek starts at the current "common" trailhead/parking area before the road crosses the roughest drainage (about 300 yards up from the haz East Divide start). The actual gate at the end of the road is about 0.3 mile farther up, and a good Jeep can make it there with not much effort. Closing any section before the gate to specific vehicle types makes little sense with regards to road maintenance (not gonna happen anyway) or resource damage to the creek bottom.

Given how long this has been an established access route, FS would need to install some beefy barriers to enforce any change in status as I doubt an "end of road" sign would have any effect at all.

The creek crossing 1.5 miles before the last common parking area is like 100 other FS road dry creek crossings on the forest and closing it there wouldn't make much sense logically.

Luckily, the MVUM is revised annually and is open to public comment each time. So far it's not closed and any attempts to change the designation will likely be met with much public comment.

@chumley
I KNEW (almost baited) we could count on you for your personal assessment. I am in agreement.

Would they also shut off access to High Creek? I don't think that's any easier to maintain, and it doesn't have as long a history of continuous access.

@big_load
I would personally reach out to the USFS Coronado Safford District for an answer. If concerned.

Not a problem-- toolbox--bolt cutters ( various sizes), sawzall with metal blade assortment, 9k winch on Jeep. Large pry bar. All you need.

@RedRoxx44
And some huevos grandes

close the last 1.47 miles of FR 660 to cars/trucks, but not ATVs

Almost seems like a group of hunters have the ear of the FS. Hunters will be the only ones who benefit from an ATV only access point. I mean seriously? Has the FS ever closed a road because the wash crossing was too hard to maintain? If this became the new standard for closing forest roads, 90 percent of forest roads in Arizona would have to be closed...