Bloomington Lake Road will close for one month beginning June 1 while crews work to restore roughly six miles of deteriorated road surface on the Montpelier Ranger District of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

The closure order will remain in effect through July 1, when the forest service anticipates reopening the popular route to the public.

"The Bloomington Lake Road has deteriorated substantially over the last few years," said Dell Transtrum, Montpelier acting district ranger. "Natural erosion and heavy vehicle use have torn the road down to its bedrock layer."

Transtrum said reckless driving habits are a major contributor to the damage. Excessive speeds, fishtailing in gravel, failure to use four-wheel drive when appropriate and tire spinning all strip away gravel and accelerate erosion, causing significant resource damage.

Heavy equipment is already on site working through what forest officials describe as a labor-intensive restoration process. The IronWolf mulching machine is among the equipment being used to reclaim and rework the road surface, breaking down material before grading equipment reshapes the roadbed.

Once repairs are complete, forest officials are urging the public to use the road responsibly. Roosting around corners, driving too fast and spinning tires can undo the work quickly and degrade the experience for other users.

"Tread Lightly" principles will apply once the road reopens, and officials said protecting the corridor for future generations depends on how visitors treat it after the work is done.

For more information, contact the Montpelier Ranger District at 208-847-0375.