Closure Extended for Ashland Loop Road from March 20th to March 24th
UPDATE: Next week, the Ashland Loop Road closure will continue on Monday, March 20th through the end of day on Friday, March 24th. Over this weekend, on Saturday, March 18th and Sunday March 19th, the Ashland Loop Road above Morton will open. The project closure was extended because of weather delays. We thank you for your patience as we work in the Ashland watershed for improved wildfire resilience.
Ashland Loop Road to the White Rabbit Trailhead above Morton Street will close for public safety for three days beginning on Tuesday, March 14through Friday, March 17 for forest management work. Private owners, supported by funding from the City and State, will have machinery on the road and trails. Alice in Wonderland Trail, Bandersnatch Trail (east side), and BTI trail will also be closed. PLEASE do not enter the area as trees will be falling and large machines operating. Closure area map:
Closed Trails and Roads Include:
Ashland Loop Road above Morton St, 1 mile below the White Rabbit Trailhead
Alice in Wonderland Trail
Bandersnatch Trail from Alice in Wonderland to Ashland Loop Road (west side of Bandersnatch is open from Lithia Park side to Alice in Wonderland)
BTI Trail
This website has a map of all watershed trails. Open trails include:
Lower Red Queen via Ashland Loop Road Road and Terrace Street.
Lithia Loop Road beyond Granite Street Swim Reservoir and Wonder Trail
Gryphon, Snark, and Waterline Trails
Jabberwocky via Toothpick Trail only
Why this Area is Closed
The City of Ashland and partners have supported thousands of acres of private landowner forest stewardship over the past decade. Work across federal, municipal, and private land enhances overall landscape health and wildfire safety. Fires don’t respect boundaries so preparing for fire should include all lands.
This project helps adapt forests to our changing climate by reducing competition among trees and helping species like pine and oak thrive, while removing dead and dying trees that are no longer viable in our warming environment. It also reduces existing wildfire fuels and prevents future fuels from accumulating, while setting the stage for more prescribed fire use as part of our landscape management strategy called Potential Operational Delineations, or PODs.
Healthy forests are vital to our community’s safety, water quality, and recreational opportunities. Thank you for your continued patience!