Highland Valley Road to be Closed

The 2,500-acre wildfire which burned in the Boise River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) last weekend has led to the closure of Highland Valley Road effective at midnight on Monday, October 2, 2000. The closure includes all motorized and non-motorized vehicle traffic. Walk-in traffic is not affected by the closure. For bicyclists, the closure encompasses Trails F and 11 from the start of Cobb Trail to State Highway 21. The closure will ultimately benefit wildlife by allowing burned areas to recovery more quickly. "Public safety is the primary reason for the closure," Fish and Game wildlife biologist Jerry Scholten explained. "We'll have habitat rehabilitation equipment operating along the road for the next few weeks." As restoration efforts continue, the closure will offer protection to the burned area from off-road vehicle use. Idaho Power crews will also be using the road, repairing a powerline damaged during the wildfire. Vehicle access to the Boise River WMA is still allowed via Squaw Creek Road/Trail (also known as Trail 12) or from Rocky Canyon Road using Trail E located near Aldape Summit. Trails 8 (Squaw Creek Ridge Trail), 12 (Squaw Creek Trail), 13 (Cobb Trail), 9 (Hornet Loop) and E (Shaw Mountain Road) to the junction of Trail 8 will remain open to vehicle use until the normal road closure in December. For more information regarding the road closure, contact the Fish and Game Nampa office at 465-8465.