North Fork Ranger District

North Fork Ranger District The site is dedicated to the people and places that make the North Fork Clearwater River country a sparkling "diamond in the rough."

DISCLAIMER: The content of this page has not been created, endorsed or approved by the USDA Forest Service. This is a private website generated by Good Time Charlie/Lonesome Cougar Media. This is a fan page with no official or political nod to the USFS or Department of Agriculture.

10/01/2025

ANNUAL POLICY NOTICE

"North Fork Ranger District: Beautiful Backcountry" is a private website generated by Good Time Charlie/Lonesome Cougar Media. The site is dedicated to the people and places that make the North Fork Clearwater River country a sparkling "diamond in the rough."

The information on this website is for general informational purposes only. While we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the website or the information contained on the website for any purpose.

Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk

DISCLAIMER: The content of this page has not been created, endorsed or approved by the USDA Forest Service. This is a fan page with no official or political nod to the USFS or Department of Agriculture.

OCTOBER 1 NORTH FORK RANGER DISTRICT ROAD STATUS REPORT; EXPECT DELAYS ON FSR #700 DUE TO RECONSTRUCTIONMost roads on t...
10/01/2025

OCTOBER 1 NORTH FORK RANGER DISTRICT ROAD STATUS REPORT; EXPECT DELAYS ON FSR #700 DUE TO RECONSTRUCTION

Most roads on the North Fork Ranger District are open, or partially open, and passable, although some roads are in poor condition. Contact the North Fork Ranger Station Information Desk to learn more, (208) 476-4541.

Forest Service Road #247, Beaver Creek, has closed from its junction with Silver Creek Road, Mile Marker 1.39, to to Mile Marker 5.70. A detour is in place; add 25 minutes to your trip. The detour is suitable for all vehicle types, but motorists should expect dusty, brushed-in conditions. Parts of FSR #247 will remain closed through October 15. The road will not be open on weekends or after hours.

Visitors to the Upper North Fork can expect up to three-hour weekday delays on FSR #250, Bungalow to Kelly Forks. Rock crushing began September 4, with road reconstruction and culvert replacement underway. Travel delays for the project may last as long as three hours, followed by an open period of approximately 30 minutes. The road will be open on weekends and holidays, and from 6 pm to 7 am, Monday through Friday, without delays. Construction activity is expected to last through October 31.

Motorists should expect delays on FSR #700, Smith Ridge Road, due to ongoing road reconstruction and culvert replacement. The contractor has posted the road at its junction with FSR #247, and no estimated completion date has been determined.

If you are unable to view or enlarge the report, please contact the North Fork Ranger Station. Reports can be mailed or emailed upon request.

09/30/2025

REMINDER! NEW OCCUPANCY AND USE RULES IMPLEMENTED FOR NATIONAL FORESTS IN IDAHO

Effective August 1, 2025, forest users visiting national forests in Idaho, including the Clearwater and Nez Perce National Forests, are prohibited from "camping or otherwise occupying a single site for more than 14 consecutive days within a single calendar year." This rule applies to, both, developed campgrounds and dispersed sites. Forest users are also prohibited from "camping or occupying any number of sites over 28 cumulative days within a calendar year."

On the Clearwater National Forest, the suspension of stay limits from October 6 through April 30 is no longer observed. The 14-Day Stay Rule is in effect, year 'round.

These rules are expected to remain in effect until July 31, 2030.

Please contact the North Fork Ranger Station, (208) 476-4541, for more information or to obtain a copy of the Occupancy and Use Order.

09/24/2025

POLITE REMINDER: ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT CAUSING WEEKDAY DELAYS - FSR #250, BUNGALOW TO KELLY FORKS.

Visitors to the Upper North Fork can expect up to three-hour delays, Monday through Friday, on FSR #250, Bungalow to Kelly Forks. The lengthy closures are due to an ongoing road reconstruction and culvert replacement project.

Travel delays will be followed by an open period of approximately 30 minutes. The road will be open weekends and weekday evenings, from 6 pm. to 7 am, without delays. The project began on September 9 and is expected to last through Friday, October 31.

For more information and updates, contact the North Fork Ranger Station Information Desk, (208) 476-4541.

PHASE TWO: BEAVER CREEK ROAD #247 CLOSURE EXTENDED THROUGH OCTOBER 15; DETOUR IN PLACE.Forest Service Road #247 (Beave...
09/11/2025

PHASE TWO: BEAVER CREEK ROAD #247 CLOSURE EXTENDED THROUGH OCTOBER 15; DETOUR IN PLACE.

Forest Service Road #247 (Beaver Creek) has closed and is impassable from its junction with Silver Creek Road, at mile post 1.39, to mile post 5.70 (scroll down for map.) The road will remain closed during a road maintenance project. This cooperative project between PotlatchDeltic and the U.S. Forest Service began 7/8/2025 and will extend through approximately 10/15/2025. Public access to areas beyond the closure will still be available via a detour over Scofield and Brown’s Rock Roads. A map showing this detour route is posted in Headquarters at the end of Highway 11. The detour route has been signed and posted.

WILDFIRE ACTIVITY CLOSES ROAD, TRAIL SEGMENT IN UPPER NORTH FORKForest Service Road #5371, which takes off from Fly Hil...
08/26/2025

WILDFIRE ACTIVITY CLOSES ROAD, TRAIL SEGMENT IN UPPER NORTH FORK

Forest Service Road #5371, which takes off from Fly Hill Road #715, has closed due to the Twin Fire. The fire has also closed a seven-mile-long segment of Trail #101 from its beginning at Wallow Mountain, east, to the junction with FSR #5371.

Contact the North Fork Ranger Station, (208) 476-4541 for more information about this closure and for updates on wildfire activity.

POLITE REMINDERThis signage is posted at all North Fork Ranger District campgrounds. DO NOT "reserve" sites in advance o...
08/01/2025

POLITE REMINDER

This signage is posted at all North Fork Ranger District campgrounds. DO NOT "reserve" sites in advance of your, or your camping companions', arrival.

07/26/2025

POLITE REMINDER: ALL CAMPSITES ON THE NORTH FORK RANGER DISTRICT ARE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. DO NOT "RESERVE" UNOCCUPIED CAMPSITES FOR FUTURE USE

Le Ann Wilson, North Fork Ranger District Visitor Services Information Lead, reminds North Fork visitors that ALL district campsites are available strictly on a first come, first served basis, only. Campers should refrain from parking vehicles or placing equipment on vacant sites to "hold" them for friends or relatives who have not yet arrived.

According to North Fork District Ranger Andrew Skowlund, "reserving" campsites is a growing problem in, both, developed campgrounds and dispersed sites. North Fork Information Desk staffers have also noticed a marked increase in reports describing non-compliant campers, and complaints from forest users who've been prevented from setting up camps in unlawfully "reserved" sites. If the problem persists, action will be taken to remove campers from sites that were "reserved" for them prior to their arrivals.

Please contact the US Army Corps of Engineers, Dworshak Project, (208) 476-1255, or the Lochsa Ranger District's Kooskia Ranger Station, (208) 926-4274, for more information about state and federal campgrounds that accept reservations.

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Orofino, ID
83544

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+12085538430

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