Alerts
There are many things happening on the Rio Grande National Forest. We encourage you to plan ahead and prepare before you head out on the forest. Check out area restrictions, campground, road and trail closures, fire restrictions, and more.
You may also want to visit the Current Conditions page for road conditions, logging activity, fire information and more.
The Rio Grande National Forest regularly has the need to provide for public safety or reduce chances for the degradation of natural resources under special circumstances that are not covered by existing forest laws. In those situations, we use supplemental laws, called “Special Orders” that enact prohibitions that address the specific concern area or activity. See the Special Orders listed as "Alerts" below.
We recommend using the "Newest to Oldest" in the Alert Start Date function on the right.
Forest Alerts
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Motor Vehicle Seasonal Groomed Road Closures
This special order is to protect public safety by preventing damage to groomed snowmobile and cross-country ski routes.
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Wolf Creek Pass Winter Recreation Area
This special order restricts parking, camping and snowmobile use at Wolf Creek Pass.
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Food Storage Regulations
This special order covers food storage restrictions from April 1 to December 1 annually, within recreation sites across the entire Rio Grande National Forest.
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Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Occupancy & Use
This special order covers the entire Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area including the portion on the San Isabel National Forest. The includes restrictions on group size, camping, campfires, horse use, dogs, switchback cutting, and wagon or cart use.
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Beaver Creek Recreation Area Use Restrictions
This special order restricts camping, parking, and dogs in the Beaver Creek Recreation Area. It also prohibits boats at Million Reservoir.
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Big Meadows Recreation Area Use Regulations
This special order prohibits camping, parking, campfire and stove use, and restricts dogs within the Big Meadows Recreation area on the Divide Ranger District.
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Camping limit on Rio Grande National Forest
This special order establishes a 14-day camping limit within a continuous 30-day period anywhere on the Rio Grande National Forest.
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Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Goat Restriction
This special order prohibits the use of goats in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness and Recommended Wilderness areas.
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La Garita Wilderness Use Restrictions
This special order covers the entire La Garita Wilderness area including portions on the Gunnison National Forest. The order restricts group size, camping, campfire and stove use, equipment storing, horse use, dogs, and cutting switchbacks on trails.
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Weminuche Wilderness and South San Juan Wilderness Restrictions
This special order restricts group use, horse use, camping, campfires, and dogs in the Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness Areas.
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Spectacle Lake Restriction
This special order prohibits anyone from being in Spectacle Lake due to biological considerations.
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Camping Restriction N. Crestone Trailhead
This special order restricts camping at the North Crestone Trailhead.
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Forest Road #950 N. Crestone Closure
This special order closes FSR # 950, near Crestone, seasonally from November 25 to May 1 annually.
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Park Creek Road Speed Limit
This special order establishes a 25 MPH speed limit on FSR # 380 Park Creek Road.
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Alamosa Canyon Speed Limit
This special order establishes a speed limit of 20 MPH or less on FSR # 250 in the Alamosa Canyon.
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Rito Hondo Day Use Area
This special order restricts parking, camping, boat use, and campfire use around the Rito Hondo Dam.
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Road Canyon Reservoir Day Use Area
This special order restricts parking, camping and campfire uses in the area around Road Canyon Reservoir #1.
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Conejos Canyon Roads and Camping Restrictions
This special order restricts the vehicle use and parking and limits camping to designated areas on FSR# 250 along the Conejos River.