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Heavy truck traffic and equipment will use the Eagle-Thomasville Road on Monday through Friday this winter as part of a forest improvement project south of Crooked Creek Pass in the Coyote Park area. 

The Eagle-Thomasville Road will be plowed from Sylvan Lake State Park to a point about two miles southwest of Crooked Creek Reservoir to allow truck access. The road is gated just above Sylvan Lake but is open to over-the-snow vehicles and non-motorized use. At least 3 inches of snow will be left on the road for winter recreation. 

“If you plan to recreate on the Eagle-Thomasville Road this winter, be alert for the weekday truck traffic and ride slowly if you are snowmobiling,” Eagle-Holy Cross District Ranger Leanne Veldhuis said. 

An estimated 10 trucks per weekday will transport the timber to a mill in Montrose. Trees are being harvested to improve forest health and wildlife habitat, reduce wildfire risk, and provide forest products. 

“By creating small, one-acre openings in the continuous forest in this area, we can increase forest resistance and resilience to disturbances like fire and bark beetles by increasing diversity in the size and age of trees,” Veldhuis said. “The small openings will also improve habitat for snowshoe hare, the primary prey for Canada lynx.” 

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The contractor will primarily cut Engelman spruce, along with some subalpine fir and lodgepole pine. The logging operation is part of the Upper Fryingpan Vegetation Management Project.

For more information, contact the Eagle-Holy Cross District at 970-827-5715.