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Idaho Fish and Game

Road Damage Limits South Fork Salmon Road Travel

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Just days before the salmon season opener on the South Fork of the Salmon River, Mother Nature threw a pitch that will affect the season from start to finish. Three days of heavy rain in early June transformed the otherwise placid South Fork into a boiling tempest. The swollen river quickly carved out a 400-foot swath of roadway that will limit travel for months to come. Because the damage occurred on Payette National Forest lands, the U.S. Forest Service will be overseeing repairs and regulating travel. Updated travel information is available on the U.S. Forest Service Web site at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/payette/, and anglers are encouraged to reference the site for current information. The roadway damage occurred near milepost 23 just downstream of Buckhorn Creek and about one mile upstream from Buckhorn Campground. Within the 400-foot stretch, about half of the South Fork Road's width was washed away, forcing its immediate closure. With the South Fork's salmon season opening on June 12, Fish and Game has been working with the Forest Service to accommodate anglers as effectively and safely as possible.
  • The Forest Service is allowing motorcycles and ATVs to traverse the damaged roadway below Buckhorn Creek; the road remains closed indefinitely to larger vehicles.
  • Camping will not be allowed at Buckhorn Bridge as this area will be used for traffic turnaround.
  • Anglers who want to fish the South Fork below Buckhorn Creek should plan on accessing this area via Yellow Pine. Lick Creek Road out of McCall remains closed due to snow and will remain closed for at least two more weeks.
  • Additional road restrictions could be imposed by the Forest Service.
Even with the season opener set for Saturday, anglers have no compelling reason to venture out; Fish and Game staff reports that the South Fork remains unfishable. "The South Fork is still running high with a large amount of debris moving downriver," Fish and Game fisheries manager Dale Allen said. "We have no indication that salmon have yet moved into the river and with more rain in the forecast, opening weekend will not be the time to fish for salmon."