HARRISBURG — As we enter the winter season the Shawnee National Forest reminds the public of the following seasonal closures that are in effect across the Forest.

Seasonal road closures started this week. For a list of seasonally closed roads and exact dates refer to the Motor Vehicle Use Map, available at any Shawnee office or on-line at http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/shawnee/maps-pubs.

Some campgrounds closed Monday including Red Bud (Bell Smith Springs), Pine Ridge (Pounds Hollow), Johnson Creek and Tower Rock campgrounds. Most campgrounds reopen March 15, 2019 with the exception of Tower Rock Campground. It reopens May 1, 2019. Four campgrounds are open year-round including Pharaoh (Garden of the Gods), Camp Cadiz and Oak Point (Lake Glendale) and Pine Hills Campgrounds.

For trail enthusiasts, please remember that there is a seasonal wilderness trail restriction prohibiting stock use between Dec. 1 and March 31 that includes the following: the Lusk Creek, Garden of the Gods and Bay Creek Wildernesses These restrictions are necessary to protect wilderness resources.

To discover more about the Shawnee National Forest, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/shawnee. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/shawneenf and Facebook via http://www.facebook.com/shawneenatlforest.