Cerro Pelado Burned Area Closure Lifted

The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) rescinded the revisedclosure order for the Cerro Pelado burned area on the Jemez Ranger District today at 6 a.m. However, the Jemez National Recreation Area flood risk closure, signed on June 24, 2022, remains in effect.

With the termination of the Cerro Pelado burned area closure, the public can now access Forest Service lands, roads and trails within an area roughly defined by Forest Roads (FR) 10 and 10H on the west, then moving south along FR 271DB, 271, 271F and 266 to the boundary with Jemez Pueblo, then east t FR 132, north on FR 132, 282 and 280 to NM State Highway 4 on the north.  FR 4B, 270, 10Q and 266NA are also open as of today.

Popular recreation sites that are reopening today include Jemez Falls, a 70-foot waterfall on the East Fork of the Jemez River, as well as the Jemez Falls Group Site, Jemez Falls Picnic Area, Paliza Family Campground and Paliza Group Campground.

Recreation sites that remain closed under Order 10-515 due to the risk of flash flooding include the following sites adjacent to NM Highway 4:

• Battleship Rock
• East Fork Trail 137 between the Jemez Falls Trailhead and Battleship Rock
• Soda Dam
• Bluffs Fishing Access
• Spanish Queen Picnic Area
• Vista Linda Campground
• River’s Bend Fishing Access
• San Diego Fishing Access
• Las Casitas Fishing Access
• La Junta Fishing Access

After a wildfire and during the monsoon season, visitors should maintain situational awareness of potential hazards, including falling trees, rolling rocks and flash flooding, especially during high winds or heavy precipitation.

As a reminder, the SFNF will be on its final day of treating the highly invasive, non-native oxeye daisy. The treatment area will be between the Las Conchas Trailhead and NM Highway 4 north of the East Fork Trailhead.

The East Fork Trail will remain open, but if you plan to hike in that area, please be aware that crews will be spraying the herbicide Rodeo®, a formulation of glyphosate registered by the Environmental Protection Agency for use in riparian and aquatic habitats. Accompanied by Forest Service staff, crews will use backpack sprayers to apply the herbicide directly onto oxeye daisy plants.

For more information or questions contact the Jemez Ranger Station at 575-829-3535. Stay up to date on SFNF news by checking the SFNF websiteand following us on Facebook and Twitter.