The U.S. Forest Service reports that, beginning on August 15, a one-mile stretch of the Russian River Campground Road, milepost 53 on the Sterling Highway, will be resurfaced and portions of the hillside along the bank of the Kenai River will be reinforced. As a result, the road and campground will be closed to the public starting on August 15 and will remain closed during active construction.
During closures, all vehicle and pedestrian access will be restricted and campground reservations on Recreation.gov will not be available. The Forest Service is expecting that the road and campground will reopen no later than June 1, 2023, just before to the opening of the sockeye salmon sport fishing season.
During construction, crews will be rebuilding and widening one mile of the access road, increasing stability and resistance to frost heaves. The project will expand the existing shoulder and include striping, new guardrail, and pedestrian fencing. Once it’s complete, the new road will be safer for cars, recreational vehicles, and pedestrians.
Construction crews also will reinforce parts of the hillside along the banks of the Kenai River, making them less prone to landslides and surface erosion, as the Forest Service says reducing the long-term threat of erosion and landslides is important to preserving the water quality for healthy salmon spawning and rearing in the Russian and Kenai Rivers.
Access restrictions or limitations during construction closures:
- Russian River Campground will close from August 15, 2022, until approximately June 1, 2023. No campground reservations will be available during this period. The project will be completed over multiple seasons. The campground will close again in August 2023 at a date still to be determined.
- Sport Fishing Access will not be available from the Anglers Trail or White Trail during the Russian River Campground Road closure.
- Russian Lakes Trail, a popular route to Russian River Falls, will not be accessible via the Russian River Campground Road during construction.
- Barber, Aspen Flats and Upper Russian public use cabins will not be accessible via the Lower Russian Lakes Trail. Access to these cabins will be available via the Snug Harbor Road, Upper Russian Lakes Trailhead or by float plane.
- Hunting Access will not be available from the Russian Lakes Trailhead via the Russian River Campground Road from August 15, 2022 through June 1, 2023.
NOTE: Residents and visitors should be mindful of the upcoming closure when making plans to recreate in the area.
For other camping options in the area, visit www.recreation.gov.
