Hanging Lake trail will be closed for the rest of the season and likely beyond after heavy rains washed out the trail during the past month, officials said Wednesday.

The trail suffered significant damage, including washed-out bridges and paths. Major repairs are needed to restore the trail.

“This is not a minor trail reroute,” said Scott Fitzwilliams, the supervisor of the White River National Forest. “It’s a complete reconstruction that’s needed.”

Officials didn’t have definite estimates on how long the reconstruction would take but expected the process could last a year or more as trucks and heavy equipment cannot reach the trail.

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The forest service is searching for sources of funding to restore the trail.

Nearly 15,000 reservations for the trail are eligible for refunds, or visitors can donate the proceeds to the trail’s restoration fund, said Ken Murphy, president of Adventure Outdoors.

After the harsh rains, the lake turned a brownish “chocolate milk,” but color has since started to clear up and is expected to continue clearing during the next month if heavy rains hold off, officials said.

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Road repairs continued on Interstate 70 and crews worked to clean out the debris flows. Crews opened to one lane of traffic but permanent repairs on the interstate could last until after Thanksgiving.