MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – In alignment with current federal, state and local guidance for social distancing and to ensure health and safety of its visitors, employees and local communities, the Mendocino National Forest is closing off-highway vehicle trails to the public effective Friday, April 17.
Forest Order No. 08-20-03, which enacts the closure, will be in effect until April 30. The order is available on the forest website.
These off-highway vehicle trails are drawing increasingly heavy traffic and large groups of people creating circumstances where social distancing is not possible.
Additionally, users travel through and stop in communities adjacent to the forest before accessing riding areas which could potentially contribute to exposure risks to local residents.
“We realize how important the Mendocino National Forest is to the public, but to protect our visitors, employees and local communities, we must take steps to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 infection,” said Mendocino National Forest Supervisor Ann Carlson.
This closure is an interim measure. The Mendocino National Forest will continue to evaluate the emerging circumstances around COVID-19 and follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control as well as state and local health departments to ensure that the safety of employees and visitors remains the top priority.
Mendocino National Forest to close off-highway vehicle trails until April 30
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