Lacks Creek Recreation Area closures planned for public safety

ARCATA, Calif. - The Bureau of Land Management will implement intermittent road, trail, and campsite closures in the Lacks Creek Recreation Area from late April through the end of August 2026 to ensure public safety during major forest health and maintenance operations.

These temporary closures are necessary to protect visitors while crews conduct road improvements, forest thinning, oak woodland restoration, and prairie restoration. Heavy equipment will be active throughout the project area, and the BLM urges all visitors to follow posted closure notices and use caution when traveling near work zones.

This restoration effort is being carried out in partnership with the Hoopa Valley Tribe as part of ongoing work to revitalize ancestral lands and improve long-term ecosystem health. Crews will remove dense stands of Douglas-fir that have encroached into prairies and oak woodlands-open spaces that historically depended on frequent fire to remain resilient. The project will yield approximately 1.6 million board feet of timber across roughly 100 acres of forest health and fuels treatments. Clearing these areas will help make these areas more resilient to catastrophic wildfire and restore habitat for wildlife.

The Lacks Creek Recreation Area encompasses 8,673 acres of public land in Humboldt County, located approximately 20 miles northeast of Eureka and 15 miles inland from the Pacific Coast. While some recreation opportunities will remain available, weekday operations may limit access to certain roads, trails, and campsites.

The BLM encourages visitors to plan ahead and contact the Arcata Field Office at (707) 825-2300 for the most current closure information.