Emergency Area and Road Closure: Moon Complex

Associated Documents

Forest Order

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 CFR § 261.50(a) and (b), the following act is prohibited within the Powers, Gold Beach and Wild Rivers Ranger Districts of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, as described below and depicted in Exhibit A. This Order is effective from September 20, 2025, through December 1, 2025, unless sooner rescinded.

PROHIBITION:

1. Going into or being upon land within the Closure Area [36 CFR 261.52(e)]
2. Being upon a closed road. [36 CFR 261.54(e)]
3. Being on a trail. [36 CFR 261.55(a)]

Closure Area boundary, as shown on attached Exhibit A:

The closure is described as beginning at the junction of Forest Service Road 3348 and western terminus of Forest Service Road 5520, approximately 1/2 of a mile east of Coquille River Falls Trailhead along the traveled roadway of Forest Service Road 3348 to Buck Creek Campground, and continuing on the eastern terminus of Forest Service Road 5520 to the Mule Creek and Panther Ridge/Buck Point Trailheads. 

From the Mule Creek and Panther Ridge/ Buck Point Trailheads, the closure follows the boundary of National Forest and Bureau of Land Management lands, in a southeasterly direction continuous along the boundary until the boundary intersects Forest Service Road 23, directly east of the Bear Camp Trailhead. The closure boundary continues west along Forest Service Road 23 to the junction with Forest Service Road 23-700 and follows the 23-700 road for 1.3 miles. From there, the closure boundary traverses a northwesterly direction for approximately four (4) air miles, following Fall Creek, crossing the Rogue River and following Flora Dell Creek to Panther Ridge. The closure boundary then follows the Panther Ridge Trail to the Bald Knob lookout, then joins Forest Service Road 5520-020, where it joins back to the western terminus of Forest Service Road 5520 and follows that road back to the junction with Forest Service Road 3348. 

The closure area includes portions of the Wild Rogue Wilderness, specifically the area from Flora Dell Creek and Fall Creek to the Bureau of Land Management boundary. All Forest Service Roads that encompass the perimeter of the closure area remain open, except for those listed below in the road closure section. Additionally, the Rogue River corridor is not included in this closure order, and it will be managed separately. 

Road Closure is described as:

• Closure Area boundary: The eastern terminus of Forest Service Road 5520, from Buck Creek Campground to the Panther Ridge/Buck Point and Mule Creek Trailheads, accounting for approximately 1.5 miles of closed road along the closure area boundary.
• Closure Area boundary: The western terminus of Forest Service Road 5520, then joins Forest Service Road 5520-020 to Bald Knob Lookout, accounting for approximately 3.0 miles of closed road along the closure area boundary.
• All roads within the closure area

Trail Closure is described as:

• All trails and trailheads inside the closure area and originating on the closure area boundary.

Campground and Recreation Rentals Closure is described as:

• All campgrounds (Sru Lake) and recreational rentals (Bald Knob Lookout) inside of the closure area.

EXEMPTIONS: 

Pursuant to 36 CFR § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from the Order:

1. Persons with a Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 (Permit for Use of Roads, Trails, or Areas Restricted by Regulation or Order) specifically exempting them from this Order;
2. Any Federal, State or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire-fighting force in the performance of an official duty.

This prohibition is in addition to the general prohibitions in 36 C.F.R. Part 261, Subpart A.
Violations of this prohibition are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both (16 U.S.C. § 551; 18 U.S.C. §§ 3551, 3559, 3571, and 3581).

Executed in Medford, Oregon, this 20th day of September, 2025.

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