GRAND COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — At long last, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service has completed enough of the post-fire restoration needed to reopen the East Troublesome area to the public. 

Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in place for all Medicine-Bow Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland, but according to the Forest Service, the work to get the East Troublesome area back to an inhabitable state is “substantially complete.”

It took just 2,420 workdays, filled with post-fire restoration efforts, to get the area previously crippled by the Mullen and East Troublesome fires back to an acceptable state.  

The work consisted of large-scale treatment of invasive species, signage and fencing repair, culvert clearing, road and trail restoration and hazard tree removal.  

Just under 3,000 trees were cleared from the trails as 540 drains were built or improved upon in the East Troublesome area. More than 23-miles of trail stabilization was also completed. 

In the area hit by the Mullen Fire, 260-miles of road repair and 30-miles of trail repair were completed. 

Six trails in the area burned by the Middle Fork Fire, including the Mad Creek Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, were cleared and additionally underwent drainage improvements. 

Aerial cheatgrass treatment was performed on over 10,000 acres in the North Platte Platte River drainage. 

Several area closures remain in place as the result of the recently sparked Black Mountain Fire, the Morgan Creek Fire and the Muddy Slide Fire.

Forest Service officials want those who plan on visiting the East Troublesome area to know that even though hazards have been reduced, the risk of flash flooding, debris flows, and hazard trees remains a potential threat. 

 It is important to plan your trip ahead of time and to arm yourself with the most up-to-date information possible.  

Recreation site status and other pertinent information required to have a safe time in the greater outdoors can be found at the MBRTB Forest Service page.