Dozens of hiking trails in the Cleveland National Forest have been closed in the wake of the Airport fire; authorities say they hope to open some within a week, but warn others could be closed for the next year.
The U.S. Forest Service is currently assessing damage from the fire that has burned more than 23,500 acres since Sept. 9 and is still not 100% contained.
The agency’s BAER (Burned Area Emergency Response) team is on the ground to assess damage and will report on the risks in the burn scar from soil erosion, flooding and debris flow as the region moves into the rainy season, said Jake Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service.
That report is expected within the next week and could open trails the team decides were not affected, he said.
But areas with damage will take some time.
A child plays on a swing at Blue Jay Campground in Cleveland National Forest in June, 2021. The campground, with 50 self-serve sites, is closed following the Airport fire. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
“We’ll need to go through the process of evaluating what was damaged,” said Rodriguez. “It burned over or partially burned over San Juan Trail, Los Pinos Trail and Holy Jim Trail.”
Currently, the closure order lasts until September 2025 and covers the Trabuco Ranger District.
Recreation areas, including the Falcon, El Cariso and Blue Jay campgrounds, will need further assessments.
At OC Parks, Caspers Wilderness Park will be closed, including the campground, through Oct. 7.
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Danielle Kennedy, spokesperson for OC Parks, said the site is being used by crews to access the impacted areas.
Riley Wilderness Park, O’Neill Regional Park and Bell View Regional Trail were all temporarily closed due to their proximity to the evacuation zones, but have all reopened.
None of the trails managed by the Irvine Ranch Conservancy were affected.
Here is a list of some of the popular trails that are currently closed and their general location:
Trails near Trabuco Creek Road and Saddleback Mountain:
• Holy Jim Trail
• Indian Truck Trail
• Harding Truck Trail
• North Main Divide Road
• Coldwater Canyon Trail
• Eagle Road
• Bedford Road (Bedford Motorway)
• Joplin Trail
• Trabuco Canyon Road
• Silverado Trail
• Ladd Canyon Trail
• Maple Springs Road
• Horsethief West and East Trail
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Near Ortega Highway (Ortega Oaks Candy Store):
• San Juan Trail
• Viejo Tie Trail
• North Main Divide Road (north and south)
• Chiquito Trail
• Los Pinos Trail
• San Juan Loop Trail
• El Cariso Nature Trail
• Sitton Peak Road
• Bear Canyon Trail
• Falcon Trail
• Hot Springs Canyon Road
• Morgan Trail
• Indian Potrero Trail
Near La Cresta (south of Lake Elsinore):
• South Main Divide Road
• Wildomar OHV area
• Cold Springs Trail
• San Mateo Trail
• Wildomar Truck Trail
• Fisherman’s Camp Trail
• San Mateo Canyon Trail
• Tenaja Trail
• Tenaja Falls Trail
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