COEUR D’ALENE—The Idaho Panhandle National Forests (IPNF) announced on Wednesday that Bechtel Mountain Road (FSR 3478) southwest of Clarkia, Idaho on the St. Joe Ranger District will be closed for the protection of public safety through November 29 due to active logging operations in the area.

On the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District, the closure of FSR 1575 along Mineral Ridge east southeast of Beauty Bay on Coeur d’Alene Lake has been extended through March 31, 2025, as work in the area shifts from road improvements to active logging.

Both road segments will experience constant heavy truck and equipment traffic while logging operations are underway, creating a hazard to the public and to contractors. Both roads will be closed to all methods of travel including foot, mechanized, motorized, and stock.

The IPNF reminds travelers on the road networks adjacent to the closed roads to use extra caution and remain alert for log truck and heavy equipment traffic. 

“Log trucks and other equipment can have difficulty maneuvering and stopping quickly, especially when they’re coming down the mountain loaded,” says Ben Johnson, District Ranger for the St. Joe Ranger District. “Other road users are more nimble, so it’s their job to be ready to yield the right-of-way if they meet a log truck.”

Johnson also recommends drivers use a CB radio when in the vicinity of active logging operations. “It’s old technology, but it adds another layer of safety when you can hear and be heard by log trucks. Just use plain language to let them know where you are and what you’re doing.”

More information about both road closures, including maps of the closed areas, can be found on the IPNF Alerts webpage.