Lion Creek Road closure begins July 5

COOLIN — A logging project in the Lion Creek Road area near Indian Creek State Park will mean the closure of the roadway during the week for the next few months, Idaho Department of Lands officials said.

The closure is to ensure public safety, and begins July 5, IDL officials said in a Wednesday press release. However, visitors to the area will be able to access the Lion Creek trail head on weekends. After the Fourth of July, “[c]amping will not be allowed in the Lion Creek drainage,” officials said.

“Logging trucks and logging activities for the Idaho Department of Lands’ Lions Edge timber sale requires the weekday closure,” officials said in the release.

The closure, which “will be in effect from Mondays at 12:01 a.m. through Fridays at 5 p.m.,” is expected to last until mid-October.

The logging operation could not begin until July 1, since the operation is taking place in grizzly bear habitat, which is strictly regulated by the state. IDL decided to wait until July 5 to enact the closure in order to accommodate Fourth of July festivities.

Brown hopes for compliance with the closure, however, should interference with the logging operation occur “then we could see the sheriff get involved.”

“Other than that, the loggers will be keeping people out of their way,” Brown said. “It’s a liability issue.”

The sale was for “about half a million dollars” which will go to the Idaho Endowment and Investment Board, overseen by appointees selected by the governor. Interest generated from the principal of the sale will be earmarked for public schools, Brown said.

“The Lions Edge timber harvest is taking place on Idaho endowment trust land and will benefit Idaho public schools (k-12). Endowment land was granted to Idaho at statehood, creating a legal trust for the sole purpose of financially supporting specific beneficiaries, in this case public schools,” IDL officials said.

The contract was awarded to the S Blood Company, a logging operation headquartered in Ponderay.

Information: Sharla Arledge, IDL public information officer, 208-334-0286 or pio@idl.idaho.gov.