The San Bernardino National Forest has issued a closure order for the Bonita Falls Day Use Area in the Front Country Ranger District. The order is in effect through May 31.
The document is available at the forest’s website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1161057.pdf.
The closure order is part of improvements being made to the Lytle Creek Recreation Corridor. The USDA Forest Service hired a contractor, Empire Equipment Service of Riverside, Calif., who has employees using large vehicles and heavy equipment to dig, scrape, move and grade the ground next to Lytle Creek Road.
The closure provides for worker and public safety by prohibiting people from entering or being in the Bonita Falls Day Use Area. This includes the parking of vehicles on either side of the road in the closure area, which extends approximately .7 miles and includes 100 feet from the center of the road northward and 300 feet southward from the center of the road (the Lytle Creek side). The speed limit in the work zone is 25 miles per hour.
According to Travis Mason, District Recreation Officer, the construction will include parking areas, permanent restroom facilities, interpretive kiosks and guard rails. The work will be completed in phases.
Mason explained the project is very significant for the Front Country and the upgrades will increase visitor experience.
The improvements are being funded by the Great American Outdoors Act and scheduled to be completed in May.
San Bernardino County Public Works maintains Lytle Creek Road, which is patrolled by a combination of law enforcement agencies, including the San Bernardino County Sheriff, California Highway Patrol and the Forest Service.
If visitors have questions, they can call the Lytle Creek Visitor Center before traveling to the area at (909) 382-2851 or go to the website https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sbnf/about-forest/districts/?cid=fsbdev7_007802 for more information.