North Fork Road reopens after repairs for landslide damage
North Fork Road has reopened after an extended closure to repair damage from a landslide, Marion County Public Works said on Nov. 4. The road, which branches off Highway 22 near Lyons and Mehama, had been closed since April 20. "The curves and grades have changed, and workers may still be on site doing final cleanup, so please drive carefully!" the county said in a brief statement announcing the reopening. The reopening happens at an interesting time. The U.S. Forest Service just announced the reopening of the Little North Santiam Trail for the first time since 2020, and North Fork Road is the quickest access route. However, Marion County also just closed three of its parks for the season on Nov. 1 — North Fork, Salmon Falls and Bear Creek. Those parks are most popular for swimming during the summer. This year, with the closure, visitors had to reach them via Gates Hill Road. The construction took place where an old landslide had damaged the road, at milepost 5. About 1,350 feet of the road was reconstructed with a 22-foot-wide paved surface. The project also included drainage, guardrail and stormwater treatment, according to earlier reporting. North Fork Road will likely
