E. Larch Mountain Road in the Columbia River Gorge is now temporarily open before construction begins for a paving and repair project next month.
In March, Multnomah County notified the community that E. Larch Mountain Road from milepost 7 to 14, which had been closed for the winter, would not reopen until spring 2024 due to construction.
Due to the contractor’s schedule, there’s now a short opportunity to use the road and parking lot at the top of the mountain until July 4. Crews will start bringing in equipment June 29 and the road will officially close for construction July 5.
***Please note: Scheduled closures may change depending on work needs and other conditions.
Traffic Impacts
- The parking area at the top of the mountain will be closed during construction starting July 5.
- Residential areas before milepost 7 will not be affected by the closures. Access will be maintained above milepost 7 for emergency services.
Project
The $5.1 million project will pave and repair E. Larch Mountain Road between milepost 7 and 14, starting east of S.E. Red Elder Drive. A contractor will also replace old guardrails and restripe the road. The closure will be in place until the typical time in the fall that Multnomah County has to close the road for the winter season. The final construction schedule will depend on the weather.
Hiking Trail Access
While no U.S. Forest Service trails will be closed, the E. Larch Mountain Road closure will impact access to the following trails:
- Sherrard Point Trail #443
- Oneonta Trail #424
- Larch Mountain Trail #441
- Multnomah Spur Trail #446
- Multnomah Creek Way Trail #444
Hikers can still access trails by heading up the Larch Mountain Trail or the Oneonta Trail from their trailheads along the Historic Columbia River Highway and connecting to the other trails on the list.
**Reminder: the U.S. Forest Service says Bell Creek Trail #459 and Horsetail Creek Trail #425 both remain closed due to the Eagle Creek Fire.
For questions about trail access, contact:
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
Phone: (541) 308-1700
Website/email: https://www.fs.usda.gov/contactus/crgnsa/about-forest/contactus
For questions related to the road closure and project, contact:
Multnomah County Transportation Public Information Officer, Sarah Hurwitz (contact listed below).
To sign up for project updates visit: https://www.multco.us/roads/webform/larch-mountain-road-paving-and-repair
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