Seasonal Tips For Having A Great Winter Season
Author: Chiara Cipriano, USFS Public Affairs Officer
Tips for Having a Great Winter Season
Chiara Cipriano
USFS Public Affairs Officer
Seasonal tips for having a great winter season on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
HELENA, Mont. – November 26, 2024 – To protect overwintering deer and elk as we move into December, staff on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest are preparing for seasonal adjustments to gates across the forest.
Seasonal gate/road status
Starting December 2, we will be::
* Closing designated gates on roads and motorized trails in mountain ranges including the Elkhorns, Little Belts, Snowies, and the Big Belts. We will be closing these gates throughout the morning of December 2, so please take action to ensure any personal camps and vehicles are removed by December 1 so you do not get caught behind a freshly closed gate!
* Opening several designated gates that are closed only for fall hunting season.
* Once there is enough snow to snowmobile and groom, designated gates on roads and motorized trails for snowmobiling will be opened. They will remain closed until then.
* Non-motorized uses are always welcome, even if a road or motorized trail is seasonally closed to motorized use. E-bikes are considered motorized vehicles and must adhere to the motorized use regulations and are only allowed on motorized routes when those routes are not closed.
Please note, there are some motorized trails in the Horse Gulch fire area that will remain closed until mid-May of 2025 even though they are designated to open December 2. This is for public safety and resource protection; a map and description of the closure is available here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/hlcnf/home/?cid=fseprd1043309
Maps:
Motorized vehicle use maps (MVUMs) for all of the travel plan areas on the forest are available for free download here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/hlcnf/maps-pubs/?cid=fseprd516875. Additionally, we also provide free over-snow vehicle use maps (OSMVUM) here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/hlcnf/maps-pubs/?cid=fseprd516878
Firewood permits:
Firewood permits are available for free and good for a calendar year, so if you don’t plan to go out and cut firewood before the new year, please wait until after January 1 to come by the office and get a permit. Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest - Forest Products Permits
Christmas Tree/ holiday tree permits:
Buy online at https://www.recreation.gov or in-person at one of our district offices; it is a great way to build holiday memories and tree permits are just $5!
Campfires:
Enjoy a campfire, but as always, please ensure it is dead out and cold to the touch before leaving. We have had a few human-caused starts recently due to drier than usual conditions.
Please visit one of our ranger districts, our website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/hlcnf/ or visit us on Facebook @HLCNF for the latest updates.
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PhotoCredit: United States Forest Service
Image 1 Caption: Logo
Image 2 Caption: Example of a Forest Road closed in the Big Belts between December 2- May 15 to protect overwintering elk and deer.
United States Forest Service Photo
