Pine Valley recreation area to remain closed as repairs continue through 2026

PINE VALLEY, Washington County — A massive summer wildfire, followed by intense flooding in the fall, has left the Pine Valley Recreation Area in southern Utah in need of major repairs.

The U.S Forest Service announced on Friday that the area and campground will be closed “at least through the 2026 season for public safety and rehabilitation work,” the agency said in a press release.

The Dixie National Forest was hit with a wildfire that started by a lightning strike in the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness area just above the Forsyth Trail in the Pine Valley Ranger District in June.

The Forsyth Fire burned more than 15,000 acres of private property and Forest Service lands, driven by extreme fire weather, including high winds and dry conditions.

The aftermath of the fire left conditions in the Pine Valley Recreation Area vulnerable to additional impacts when storms with flooding and debris flows rolled through in October, causing significant damage.

Forest service officials said the rehabilitation work includes emergency stabilization, hazardous tree removal and other restoration activities such as seeding and tree planting, and eventually campground reconstruction, in areas that were impacted by the Forsyth Fire.

“Hazard tree removal in the Pine Valley Recreation Area will begin as early as January 2026 and into 2027, and will include activities that utilize heavy equipment and tractor-trailers,” the forest service said in its release.

Crews are currently working to reconstruct the Pine Valley Reservoir dam to meet current state standards.

Efforts are also underway to build a channel around the reservoir to reroute water.

“The purpose of these projects is to conduct mitigation on the dam and construct a low-water outlet. The project is expected to be completed by early 2027,” the release reads.

Work is expected to persist through the year at the Pine Valley Recreation Area, officials said.