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PAYSON — A section of the Nebo Loop Road was significantly damaged after it shifted, and part of the road has been closed.
The Spanish Fork Ranger District recently discovered the “slump” on the Nebo Loop Road, about 1.8 miles south of the Maple Dell Boy Scout Camp, according to Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest spokeswoman Kathy Jo Pollock. The slump caused mass movement of the road, resulting in a surface drop of about 5 feet.
U.S. Forest Service engineers are currently assessing the damage and determining the best way to fix the road. A timeline has not yet been determined for when the road will be fixed and reopened to the public, Pollock said.
“In the meantime, the district does have plans to open a segment of the Nebo Loop Road in order to allow access to the Bennie Creek Trail (#071) and the very popular Grotto Trail (#086),” Pollock said. “From this segment, the road will be closed from the Old Ski Lift gate to the junction of Pete Winward Road and the Nebo Loop Road.”
The Spanish Fork Ranger District plans to still open the Payson Lakes and Blackhawk campgrounds, as well as the Payson Lakes rental cabin. However, due to the road closure in the area, people will need to access the campgrounds and rental cabin from either the Santaquin Canyon Road or Salt Creek Canyon. Pollock said the public should expect to see increased traffic on both of these roadways during the Nebo Loop Road closure.
Contributing: Sam Penrod
