The U.S. Forest Service – Chugach National Forest reports that Russian River Campground Road will close on August 1, 2022, for construction. The construction will be to redo a one mile stretch of the road surface and reinforce portions of the hillside along the bank of the Kenai River. The road and campground will be closed to the public during the construction.
During the closure, all vehicle and pedestrian access will be restricted and campground reservations on www.recreation.gov will be unavailable. The Forest Service anticipates reopening the road and campground no later than June 1, 2023, prior to the opening of the sockeye salmon sport fishing season.
Construction crews will rebuild and widen one mile of the access road, making it more stable and resistant to frost heaves. The project will expand the existing shoulder and include striping, new guardrail, and pedestrian fencing. Once completed, the new road will be safer for cars, recreational vehicles, and pedestrians.
The construction will also reinforce sections of the hillside along the banks of the Kenai River, making them less prone to landslides and surface erosion. Reducing the long-term threat of erosion and landslides is essential to preserving the water quality for healthy salmon spawning and rearing in the Russian and Kenai Rivers.
KenaiRussianRiverConfluenceMap
Additional restrictions and limitations during construction includes sport fishing access, as it 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. 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 also will not be available from the Russian Lakes Trailhead via the Russian River Campground Road, affecting both sport and federal subsistence hunting seasons for large and small game.
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