If you are looking for a rural getaway to escape the information overload surrounding the new Coronavirus…perhaps you’re set to take a drive through the woods around northern and eastern Arizona.
The weather is warming up and Coconino National Forest officials say they are starting to open many roads across the national forest.
In the Flagstaff Ranger District, most forest roads will be open by Saturday but roads at higher elevations around the San Francisco Peaks will remain closed, including Forest Road 151, 418, and Lockett Meadow.
The Mogollon Ranger District has already opened all forest roads north and west of state Route 87. Officials at the Mogollon District say they are studying the forest roads daily south and east of the highway for opening by this weekend. It is possible that all the roads on the Mogollon Ranger District could be open by Saturday.
Lower elevation roads, such as those in the Red Rock Ranger District have been open for a while, as they are often ready for vehicle use several weeks before higher elevation roads are ready for use.
Meanwhile, two White Mountains-area state highways have reopened after being closed for winter. The Arizona Department of Transportation says previously closed portions of State Route 261 near Eager to Big Lake reopened Wednesday. State Route 273 from SR 260 to Sunrise Park and Big Lake also reopened Wednesday. But, State Route 473, running south from SR 260 on the White Mountain Apache reservation, remains closed for now.
Hawley Lake and the surrounding area are also closed to recreational use for time being. Another highway that closes for winter, State Route 67, leading to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, is scheduled to reopen with park facilities in mid-May.
