Trails set to reopen

SANDPOINT — The Beehive and Harrison Lake trails are reopening on Thursday, the U.S. Forest Service has announced.

The trails in the Upper Pack River Drainage were closed last month after a bear raided a campsite. A remote sensing camera was set up for several weeks in the areas of the bear encounters, but picked up no further bear activity.

The Beehive Lakes are accessed by Trail No. 279 and Harrison Lake is accessed by Trail No. 217.

Visitors using the these areas are encouraged to be cautious and to familiarize themselves with the safety etiquette when traveling and camping in bear country.

The Forest Service also reminds visitors that there is a mandatory food storage order in effect from April 1 through December every year.

All food and beverages — including canned items — must be stored in a bear-resistant containers at night and when unattended.

The food storage order also applies to garbage, grease, processed livestock, pet food and scented toiletries.

The order was enacted in 2011 in the Sandpoint, Priest Lake and Bonners Ferry ranger districts to reduce the potential for human-wildlife conflicts.

The Forest Service counsels visitors to use caution when they are traveling in bear country. It’s not uncommon to see bears, which can be unpredictable at times, USFS official said.