Forest Service to close Tiddlywinks Trail weekdays for safety during thinning operations

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Starting Monday, thinning operations will close Tiddlywinks Trail between Wanoga Sno-Park and the junction with Forest Service Road 4613 for public and operator safety during thinning operations, the Deschutes National Forest said Friday.

The closures on Funner from Wanoga Sno-Park east to the junction with FSR 4613-050 and FSR 4614 between the junction with FSR 4614-400 north to the Cascade Lakes Highway remain in place.

Recreationists in these areas should use caution when traveling on Forest Service roads and be prepared for logging traffic. People should slow down and prepare to stop for large machinery and vehicles on the roadway. Make direct eye contact with the operator before trying to pass, to ensure that they see you.

Closures are in effect from 10 p.m. Sunday to Friday at 3 p.m. Access is open from 3 p.m. Friday to 10 p.m. Sunday.

This work is part of the Lex Project area within the Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project area landscape, in which the Forest Service is restoring 11,900 acres of forest west of the city of Bend to improve forest health. Stand resiliency to fire, insect and disease can help create a diversity of plant and wildlife habitat and protect our communities and quality of life.

The Forest Service said it is experiencing increased violations of trail closure areas. Trail closures are designed to keep the optimal amount of trail mileage open for recreationists during this work. However, if users continue disregarding the closures, the closures will have to be moved further out from the work area.

During vegetation management, operations such as thinning of trees and mowing of brush, trees and shrubbery come down quickly and can be thrown far from the site by the large machinery. Please do your part to protect yourself and the contractors implementing this work.

For more information about the closures, contact the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District at 541-383-5300.