Recreational access near the Hungry Horse Reservoir will change for the time-being as the Flathead National Forest conducts work on the area’s Royal Tiger timber sale.

The sale is part of the Hungry Lion Project that was greenlighted by the U.S. Forest Service in 2018. For the Royal Tiger leg of the project, agency officials have issued a temporary motorized closure for the East Side Reservoir Road #38 and Emery Creek Road #546. Forest officials anticipate the roads will be closed to vehicle traffic through early spring in order to protect the public and crews during the cutting and hauling operations.

Over-snow vehicles will be able to use the East Side Reservoir Road to milepost 37.5 and Emery Creek Road on Saturdays and Sundays while the closure is in effect. The East Side Reservoir Road is closed beyond milepost 37.5 to all motorized use annually from Dec. 1 to May 14 to protect winter wildlife habitat.

Winter recreation parking on Road #38 will be available at the Desert Mountain parking area located just outside Martin City, or at the junction with Abbot Bay Road (Forest Road #5301) approximately 5 miles south of Martin City.

According to a press release, snowmobilers who plan on using East Side Reservoir Road on the weekends should use caution on the plowed road by staying to the right side and riding single file at a moderate speed. Although timber sale operators will not haul on weekends, they may be plowing or conducting other work. The road will be open to snowmobilers every weekend from 5 p.m. on Friday to 12:01 a.m. on Monday.

People who choose to use Desert Mountain trails as an alternate route should be aware that hauling also will occur on that road as well, and the Flathead Snowmobile Association will be grooming a route adjacent to the roadway for snowmobile use. The Flathead National Forest offers several other popular snowmobile areas with groomed and ungroomed trails forest wide, many that are maintained by partners.

Snowmobile access information maps and groomed trail maps are available on the Service’s website. The maps outline snowmobile routes and areas by ranger district and groomed trails accessing state and national forest lands in the Flathead Valley area.

To read about the current closure order, view associated maps and monitor access changes, check the Alerts and Notices section of Flathead National Forest’s website, or check in on the agency’s Facebook and Twitter. For more information about East Side Reservoir Road access, contact the Hungry Horse Glacier View Ranger District at 406-387-3800