Ponderosa Campground

To provide for public safety, the Timber and Plaskett Fire Area are closed, including roads and trails described in Exhibit A and shown on the Exhibit B Map.

This Forest Order No. 05-07-51-26-11 supersedes Forest Order No. 05-07-51-26-10.

Order Number: 05-07-51-26-11

 LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST
USDA FOREST SERVICE
MONTEREY RANGER DISTRICT

Monterey Ranger District Emergency Closure with Exceptions

PROHIBITIONS

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a) and (b), and to provide for public safety, the following acts are prohibited within the Los Padres National Forest. This Order is effective from September 26, 2026, until January 31, 2027.

1. Going into or being upon any National Forest System lands within the Monterey Ranger District Emergency Closure Area, as described in Exhibit A and shown on Exhibit B. 36 C.F.R. § 261.53(e).
2. Being on any National Forest System roads within the Monterey Ranger District Emergency Closure Area, as described in Exhibit C and shown on Exhibit B. 36 C.F.R. § 261.54(e).
3. Being on any National Forest System trails within the Monterey Ranger District Emergency Closure Area, as described in Exhibit D and shown on Exhibit B. 36 C.F.R. § 261.55(a).

EXEMPTIONS

Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:

1. Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire-fighting force in the performance of an official duty;
2. Owners, lessees, or residents of private land within the Monterey Ranger District Emergency Closure Area, to the extent necessary to access their land, unless the area is under evacuation order by the Monterey County Sheriff or California Office of Emergency Management;
3. Persons with Forest Service Permit FS-7700-48 (Permit for Use of Roads, Trails, or Areas Restricted by Regulation or Order), specifically exempting them from this Order.

These prohibitions are in addition to the general prohibitions in 36 C.F.R. Part 261, Subpart A.

A violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 18 U.S.C. §§ 3559, 3571, and 3581.

Executed at Santa Barbara, California this 25th day of September 2026.

Digitally signed by JEANNE DAWSON

Jeanne Dawson
Deputy Forest Supervisor 
Los Padres National Forest

EXHIBIT A

CLOSED AREA DESCRIPTION

The Monterey Ranger District Emergency Closure Area comprises three non-contiguous components: a Main Emergency Closure Area, a Brazil Ranch Emergency Closure Area, and a Carmel River Station Emergency Closure Area.

The boundary of the Monterey Ranger District Main Emergency Closure Area begins at the National Forest Boundary in the northeast corner of Section 1 of Township 18 South, Range 2 East, Mount Diablo Base Meridian (MDBM); then continues generally south and east along the National Forest Boundary until the southeast corner of Section 31, Township 19 South, Range 5 East, MDBM; then continues east along the National Forest Boundary until the northeast corner of Section 1 of Township 20 South, Range 6 East, MDBM; then continues generally south and west along the National Forest Boundary until the southeast corner of Section 11 of Township 21 South, Range 6 East, MDBM; then continues generally west, then south, then east along the National Forest Boundary until its intersection with the Nacimiento - Fergusson Road (Forest Road 22S01) in Section 32 of Township 22 South, Range 6 East, MDBM; then continues generally west, then generally southeast along the National Forest boundary to its intersection with the South Coast Ridge Road (Forest Road 20S05.6) in Section 9 of Township 24 South, Range 6 East, MDBM; then continues generally southeast along the northern edge of the South Coast Ridge Road (Forest Road 20S05.6) to its intersection with the Salmon Creek Trail (Forest Trail 6E11) in Section 9 of Township 24 South, Range 6 East, MDBM; then continues in a southwesterly direction along the northern edge of the Salmon Creek Trail (Forest Trail 6E11) to its trailhead intersection with Highway 1 in Section 30 of Township 24 South, Range 6 East, MDBM; then continues in a generally northwestern direction along the eastern edge of Highway 1 to the intersection with Plaskett Ridge Road (Forest Road 23S02.4); then east along the northern edge of the Plaskett Ridge Road (Forest Road 23S02.4) to the National Forest Boundary; then generally east then northeast then generally west to the southwest ¼ of the northwest ¼ of the northwest ¼ of the northwest ¼ of Section 20, Township 23 South, Range 5 East, MDBM; then north along the section line to the intersection of Sections 17, 18, 19, 20 of Township 23 South, Range 5 East, MDBM; then west to the intersection of Highway 1 at the section line between Sections 18 and 19, Township 23 South, Range 5 East, MDBM; then along the eastern edge of Highway 1 until its intersection with the eastern boundary of Limekiln State Park; then continues generally northwest along the eastern boundary of Limekiln State Park until its northernmost intersection with the National Forest Boundary; then continues generally northwest along the National Forest Boundary until its intersection with the southern boundary of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park; then continues generally northwest along the National Forest Boundary until its intersection with California Highway 1 in the eastern half of Section 9, Township 20 South, Range 2 East; MDBM; then runs generally north, then generally northwest until its intersection with the northern boundary of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park; then continues generally northwest along the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park boundary until its intersection with the eastern boundary of Andrew Molera State Park; then continues northeast, then northwest, then north, then east along the National Forest Boundary until the southwest corner of Section 31, Township 18 South, Range 2 East; then continues north along the National Forest Boundary, then west, then north to the intersection with the northeast quarter of Section 2, Township 18 South, Range 1 East, then east along the National Forest Boundary back to its starting point, as shown on the attached map (Exhibit B).

The boundary of the Monterey Ranger District Brazil Ranch Emergency Closure Area begins at the northern intersection of the Brazil Ranch property of California Highway 1 in Section 18 of Township 18 South, Range 1 East, MDBM; then continues east and south to the northwest corner of the SW ¼ of Section 17 of Township 18 South, Range 1 East, MDBM; then continues east to the northeast corner of the SW ¼ of Section 17 of Township 18 South, Range 1 East, MDBM; then continues south to the southeast corner of the SW ¼ of Section 17 of Township 18 South, Range 1 East, MDBM; then continues east to the northeast corner  of the NE ¼ of Section 20 of Township 18 South, Range 1 East, MDBM; then continues east along the National Forest Property Boundary to the northeast corner of the NW ¼ of the NE ¼ of section 22, Township 18 South, MDBM;  then generally southwest, then generally west, then generally northwest along the National Forest Property Boundary to the intersection of the mean high tide line of the Pacific Ocean in Section 19, Township 18 South, Range 1 East, MDBM; then generally north along the mean high tide line of the Pacific Ocean, then back to the beginning of this description. 

The Monterey Ranger District Carmel River Station Emergency Closure Area consists of approximately one acre of National Forest System Lands outside the National Forest Boundary in the NW ¼ of Section 4 of Township 18 South, Range 3 East. It is accessed by National Forest Road 18S03A, and the Carmel River Guard Station and associated administrative pastures are located there. 

EXHIBIT C – CLOSED ROADS

¹ Closure begins at the entrance to Arroyo Seco Campground.
² Closure ends at the junction with the Salmon Creek Trail (6E11) in Section 9 of Township 24 South, Range 6 East, MDBM.

EXHIBIT D – CLOSED TRAILS