Bear Lake Main Forest Service Road reopens after washout

Bear Lake Main reopens

Photo: William Lapierre

A large section of road was washed away in March

It’s a gift for off-road and backcountry enthusiasts just in time for the long weekend.

The Okanagan Trail Riders Association reported on its Facebook group that Bear Lake Main Forest Service Road has reopened.

A large section of the road that runs from Westside Road to the Okanagan Connector was washed away by spring runoff in late March. Photos sent to Castanet showed a chunk of hillside had fallen away and water was running across the road. Crews have been working ever since to repair the damage.

The Bear Lake Main Forest Service Road is one of the busiest forest roads in the region. Logging trucks and recreational traffic had to use other routes to access the backcountry north of West Kelowna during the closure.