Add the winter recreational trails in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to those closed for the season. A rapid warm up has changed the winter trails conditions from acceptable to closed in one week.
Forest spokesperson Hilary Markin says snowmobile, ATV-UTV, horse and bicycle trails are all closed during this time period. It allows them to dry out. We then typically open them up again around May 1. She says this is a critical time to preserve the trails...
".....it's all about protecting the trails. One use ends in the winter time and then we roll into the summertime and let them dry out so they're ready for the next season. The biggest thing is if somebody does go out there this time of year they can cause a lot of damage so we ask them to stay off the trails...."
Markin says someone on the trails this time of year can cause much costly damage and possibly keep a trail from being ready for the summer season. Oneida county trails have closed for the season, as have trails in Forest and Price counties.
Vilas county trails will be closed as of Friday morning according to county press releases.
