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Forest Service set to open Red Sandstone Road lower gate on Thursday

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A Forest Service fire vehicle travels up Red Sandstone Road in Vail. The road is paved in Vail before becoming an improved dirt path in the White River National Forest.
John LaConte/Vail Daily

While the summer motorized and mountain bike travel season began on May 21 in the White River National Forest, not all roads opened at that time, including the popular Red Sandstone Road (No. 700) in Vail.

Forest Service officials surveyed the road on Tuesday and determined that it will be dry enough to open the lower portion of Red Sandstone Road on Thursday, said David Boyd with the White River National Forest.

“Conditions allowing, Red Sandstone opens to the lower gate on June 1, and the rest of the way June 21,” Boyd said Tuesday.



Boyd said the West Side of No. 700, known as Muddy Pass, opened earlier this month, but there’s still snow near the upper gate of Red Sandstone Road, so that portion of the road will remain closed during early June.

Forest Service officials said this year’s high snowpack has caused some roads to be impassable.

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“We’ve had an amazing winter, and now we are starting to see impacts from the high amount of run-off that is underway,” said Recreation Program Manager Sam Massman. “Conditions in many parts of the forest are running later than we see in average years, so we’re asking visitors to please be patient and avoid using muddy roads and trails until they have time to dry out and harden.”

E-bikes are considered motorized transportation on National Forest System lands and may only be ridden on roads and trails designated open to motorized vehicles, like Red Sandstone Road. Traditional (non e-bike) bicycles are allowed on designated trails and roads where mechanized use is permitted.

Off-road and off-trail travel is prohibited for all motorized and mechanized vehicles in the White River National Forest.

All forest visitors are responsible for knowing when and where they can drive or ride. Ranger District offices have the latest site-specific information. Summer motor use maps and mountain bike maps are available at: FS.USDA.gov/whiteriver.

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