Part of Redfish camping area in Idaho will be closed for months for improvements
The U.S. Forest Service will close a trail, parking lots and a road at one of Idaho’s most popular camping areas as it works on improvements, the agency said in a news release.
Sawtooth National Recreation Area officials said work will begin at the Redfish Lake Recreation Complex on Monday. According to the news release, the project will include “improvements to Forest Road 214, the paved shoreline trail, the North Shore Picnic Area, and the Visitor Center parking lot.”
The closure will impact the area south of the Redfish Trailhead parking lot where Forest roads 213 and 214 meet, and east of Redfish Lodge. Officials said Redfish Outlet Trail Bridge will also be closed.
Susan James, the recreation manager for the SNRA, told the Idaho Statesman in an interview that the project will realign the portion of Forest Road 214 to remove the curve near the visitor center and improve traffic. James said the agency will also realign the paved path near the newly installed trail bridge, improve the visitor center parking lot to add spaces and reduce flooding issues and rebuild the North Shore Picnic Area.
Finally, the Forest Service will improve the area near the Redfish entrance station, moving the parking area to the other side of the road away from riparian habitat and increasing parking capacity.
The closed portion of Forest Road 214, which begins at Idaho 75 and becomes Redfish Lake Road near the lodge and north shore of the lake, is expected to reopen in May. Glacier View Campground, a popular site accessible via Redfish Lake Road, will reopen at the same time. James said there is no construction planned for the campground.
Access to the North Shore Picnic Area, Redfish Cabin, the visitor center and the paved shoreline trail will resume on June 26.
