Bighorn National Forest officials announce maintenance for Bucking Mule Falls trail 053 and close Burgess Dump Station for season

Bighorn National Forest officials are working with a contractor to improve approximately five miles of the Bucking Mule Falls trail 053.

The work includes removing obstacles and clearing the corridor to meet Forest Service standards, and with the Montana Conservation Corps to construct several reroutes. 

Improvements include but are not limited to, water drainage repair and construction, boardwalk reconstruction, brushing and limbing, tree removal, and tread bench restoration. The short reroutes along this segment are designed to remove steep grades that exceed standard, avoid wet areas, and to reduce the need for future maintenance. 

The work began in late August and is expected to go through late September. If residents are planning to be in the area, officials ask visitors to be prepared for delays and trail construction activity.  For more information please contact the Medicine Wheel Ranger District at 307-765-4435.

Bighorn National Forest will also close the Burgess Dump Station for the season following the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend. 

According to the BNF, nightly temperatures have been dropping and have reached below freezing. Two rinse towers have already had issues from being frozen. While this is an important public service, officials say closure this time of year is needed in order to keep the facility functioning in coming years, and to prevent the need for further repairs.