MISSOULA - Several construction projects will impact public access to Lolo National Forest recreation sites in Pattee Canyon in the coming weeks.
The Pattee Canyon Trailhead and Crazy Canyon Trailhead will be closed until September 15 so that improvements can be made to the parking areas and access roads.
The Pattee Canyon Trailhead will be closed for road maintenance and pothole patching. The closure includes Forest Roads 2133, 2133 A, and 2133 B, as well as the parking area.
The Crazy Canyon Trailhead will be closed while the entrance to the parking area is reconstructed due to subgrade failure. The closure includes Forest Road 9959 and the parking area. The work is anticipated to be completed by Friday, September 15 with trailhead access planned to be reopened for weekend use.
Separately, the Pattee Picnic Area Group Site A is now closed while a new pavilion is being built. The Blue Mountain disc golf course remains fully open and Group Sites B and C will not be impacted by the construction, however, parking will be limited, according to a news release.
The main roads leading in and out of the recreation area will not be impacted by the construction including Pattee and Deer Creek roads. Local residents should not be impacted but parking in the immediate area may be limited.
People can park along the main road near the campground entrance, in several places along the picnic area loop road including the graveled area directly adjacent to group site A, and at Larch camp.
“This work represents exciting investments into the infrastructure for these high use recreation sites very near to Missoula’s urban core” said Crystal Stonesifer, District Ranger of the Missoula Ranger District of the Lolo National Forest. “We recognize the impacts that closures have on visitor access, and we have worked hard to minimize these impacts so that visitors can soon realize longer term benefits through site improvements.”
These are the last projects that are being funded by the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund.
The Lolo National Forest notes the $295,000 project included the replacement of information boards and picnic tables, construction of the new pavilion, road surface improvement on Blue Mountain Road, surfacing, brush clearing and drainage repair in the Blue Mountain and Pattee Canyon Recreation Areas.
Additional information about the Lolo National Forest can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/lolo.
