The Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District of the U.S. Forest Service recently issued the following press release regarding the closure of East Brush Creek Road next week for culvert repairs:
Hunters, fall foliage viewers and others planning fall recreational activities in Eagle County should be aware that East Brush Creek Road (NFS Road 415) will be closed beginning next week while the Forest Service replaces a broken culvert.
The closure will begin on September 3 and last through October 19. On the west side, the road will be closed at the Aspen Grove parking lot of Sylvan Lake State Park, which is about 2.5 miles upstream from the Brush Creek Road (NFS Road 400) intersection. On the east side, the road will be closed at the quarry site of Sylvan Lake State Park, about 1.75 miles downstream from Yeoman Park.
Visitors with high clearance and four-wheel drive vehicles can access Yeoman Park and the Fulford area by taking NFS Road 400 past Sylvan Lake State Park to Hat Creek (NFS Road 416). Visitors with trailers, RVs, or low clearance vehicles are advised not to use the alternate route as it is steep and narrow in places and includes several tight turns.
Visitors wishing to access the Nolan Lake, New York Mountain, Lake Charles and Ironedge trails in the Holy Cross Wilderness, the Fulford Cave Trail, or the Peter Estin, Polar Star and Seipel huts must use this alternate route.
The broken culvert is replaced with a wider culvert called an aquatic organism culvert that incorporates the natural streambed. This allows the stream to retain more of its natural characteristics and allows aquatic organisms such as cutthroat trout to move more freely in the streambed. This type of culvert is also less likely to become trapped with woody debris that can cause flooding and washouts.
The work is carried out in the fall when water flow is low and after the cutthroat trout spawning season.
If you have any further questions, please contact the Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District at 970-827-5715.
