Three small areas in the Skalkaho Creek area of the Bitterroot National Forest southeast of Hamilton are part of a new restoration project of the Bitterroot National Forest. Tod McKay of the forest headquarters said officials are accepting public comment on the "Skalkaho Dispersed Sites Rehab Project."

The first location is at the junction of Skalkaho Highway and Skalkaho/Rye Road #75. Just over the bridge on Rye Road is what is called a "dispersed" site, with overused, illegal user-created motorized trails and trees damaged by decades of target practice. Those trees will be cut down and the site will reduced in size, adding vegetation to protect the streambanks of both creeks.

The second area is a user-created half-mile road on the south side of Daly Creek off forest road #5783. McKay reported that the first dispersed campsite on that road will be retained, but the road past that site will be removed and the area rehabilitated.

The third area is on the north side of Daly Creek off Skalkaho Highway, east of the junction with Forest Road #711. A user-created road is partially in a steep hazardous area and will be rehabilitated.

The rehab project is considered excluded from the documentation for an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement. Comments from the public are due by April 27. Further information can be found online at the Bitterroot National Forest website. Sam Cook of the Darby Ranger District has more information at (406) 821-4298.

damaged forest area
Dispersed area along Skalkaho-Rye Road. (Steve Fullerton, Townsquare Media)
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