Forest service updates on road closures, construction, and other river updates

2023 Road/Access Improvement Projects

Affecting Boater Traffic

Background

 

During the 2023 summer boating season, traffic to and from the Salmon River and Middle Fork of the Salmon River will be impacted by road and access improvement projects.  The Forest Service has been able to secure over 12 million dollars in funding to improve road conditions and access to public land over the next two years.  In 2023, these projects will cause delays to and from both rivers and for two, weeklong periods of time, full closures will be in effect on the Boundary Creek Road (#579). 

 

Closures and delays are subject to change.  Every effort will be made to communicate these changes to boaters with as much advance notice as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding with the short-term inconvenience these projects will cause. In the long term, these projects will greatly benefit boater traffic and public land access. 

 

Stoddard Bridge Replacement

Throughout the boating season, expect delays on the Salmon River Road near the Stoddard Creek Trailhead of up to 60 minutes during daylight hours and up to 8 hours between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am.  From September 8th through October 2nd, there may be full road closure from 8am to noon and 2:30pm till 6:30pm daily.  There will be a 30-day advance notice if this full road closure for these four-hour time periods is planned.  The Stoddard Trailhead including the primitive boat ramp will be closed for the entire 2023 season.

 

Fir Creek Bridge Replacement

Between August 7 and August 15, a section of Boundary Creek Road #579 (between Cape Horn Summit and Bruce Meadows) will be closed. An alternate route to Bruce Meadows is available via FS Road #582 from Lowman, ID.

 

Boundary Creek Road Maintenance

A full closure of Roads #579 (between Hwy 21 and Bruce Meadows) and #568 (from Bruce Meadows to Boundary Creek) will be in place with no access to the boat launch between 9/5 – 9/15 for the replacement of culverts and a bridge installation.  Boaters will have to fly into the Indian Creek Launch Site or one of the other river access points downstream of Indian Creek.

 

Beginning July 5th, for the remainder of the boating season, these roads(#579 and #568) may be closed for up to five hours daily from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Boaters should access Boundary Creek outside of those times. When the road is open to travel, there may be multiple delays of up to 30 minutes. Expect to encounter construction traffic from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday - Friday. Outside of the full closure, no work will take place on weekends or federal holidays.