Mt. Scott roadway closed due to structural damage

The Mt. Scott roadway in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge was closed Monday after structural damage was found.

The road will be temporarily closed to vehicles. Pedestrian and bicycle access will remain open, though closure of the road to all users will occur for short durations over the next two weeks while crews conduct repairs, according to a press release. All closures will be posted at the base of the mountain when in effect.

The press release did not specify what structural issues were found nor how the road will be repaired.

“Closing Mt. Scott to vehicle access is not an easy decision. We want to ensure the safety of our visitors and we are unable to do so until the damage can be repaired,” Refuge Manager Amber Zimmerman said in a press release.

Approximately 2 million visitors a year visit the scenic Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Mt. Scott remains one of the Refuge’s most heavily visited attractions. The Mt. Scott Road not only receives heavy and increasing motorized vehicle traffic, but it has also become an increasingly popular place for pedestrians and bicyclists, according to a press release.

This scenic road was completed by the Works Progress Administration in 1938. The curvy 3-mile road twists and turns as it climbs roughly 1,000 feet to the mountain summit. Though it has been repaved several times, this two-lane road has experienced significant undercutting of its road base over the years that was repaired in a large project in 2019. Damage from recent rains appears to be minor.

Information about the closure can be found on the Refuge website at www.fws.gov/refuge/wichita_mountains, by contacting the Visitor Center at 580-429-2197, or by following the Refuge on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WichitaMountainsWildlifeRefuge.