Gila NF: Forest Order for Johnson Fire Temporary Area Closures

Silver City, NM. June 7, 2021.  The Gila National Forest has issued Forest Order 03-06-05-21-016 Johnson Fire Temporary Area Closure as of June 7, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. and will remain in effect until December 31, 2021 or until rescinded, whichever comes first.

The description of the closure area is as follows:

From the Little Bear Trail # 729 intersection with New Mexico Highway 15 travel north approximately three miles along the Little Bear Trail #729 to its intersection with the Middle Fork Trail #157. Then follow the Middle Fork Trail #157 in a northwesterly and then westerly direction to its intersection with the Iron Creek Mesa Trail #171. Follow the Iron Creek Mesa Trail #171 west till it intersects the West Fork Trail# 151. Follow the West Fork Trail #151 in a westerly direction to its intersection with Whitewater Baldy Trail #172. Follow Whitewater Baldy Trail #172 in a southwesterly direction to the intersection with the Crest Trail #182. Follow the Crest Trail #182 in a northwesterly direction to the intersection with the Whitewater Trail #207.1.  Then follow the Whitewater Trail # 207.1 downstream in a westerly direction to the intersection with the Redstone Trail #206 (Lipsey Canyon portion).  Follow Redstone Trail # 206 in a southeasterly direction to the intersection with Holt-Apache Trail #181.  Then follow the Holt-Apache Trail #181 in a northwesterly direction to the intersection with East Fork Whitewater Trail #213.  Follow the East Fork Whitewater Trail #213 to the east to the intersection with Little Whitewater Trail #214.  Follow the Little Whitewater Trail #214 in a westerly direction to the Gila Wilderness boundary.  At this point, the western side of the closure area boundary is the Gila Wilderness boundary from Little Whitewater Trail at the north to Mogollon Trail #153 Trailhead at the southern end. From Mogollon #153 Trailhead (near the end of County Road 2-6 (Nine-Sixteen Rd.)), travel due east approximately 7.5 miles as the crow flies till you intersect the Turkey Creek Trail #155. Follow the Turkey Creek Trail #155 in an easterly direction till it intersects the Miller Springs Trail #159. Follow the Miller Springs Trail #159 south to the intersection with Granny Mountain Trail #160. Follow Granny Mountain Trail #160 east then north northeast till it intersects with NM State Highway 15 at the Gila Cliff Dwellings.  A detailed map of said closure area can be found at:  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/gila/alerts-notices.

Call any of our six ranger stations for suggestions for alternate hiking options.  A CDT alternate route map should be available by close of business today and will be placed on Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7493/.