Utah’s Manti-La Sal National Forest Wants to Hear from You

Photo credit: U.S. Forest Service

Written in coordination with Katie Goodwin, Access Fund.

The Manti-La Sal National Forest in Utah is home to incredible and diverse recreation opportunities,  including more than 880 miles of trails, 160 rock climbing sites, 27 miles of whitewater paddling, and 170,000 acres for backcountry skiing. 

The Manti-La Sal is currently undergoing forest planning, a process that will determine how the forest is managed over the next 20-30 years. Outdoor Alliance and our partners have been deeply involved in the planning process, and have been working on a response to the recently-released draft forest plan which will be included here when it is complete.

The Forest Service has done an excellent job of including human-powered recreation directives in the draft Forest Plan, however, there is room for improvement to reach the forest’s full potential as a sustainable recreation resource. You can be a part of ensuring the final forest plan offers the best possible management for conservation as well as recreation.

The Forest Service should prioritize the long-term ecological health of public lands, wildlife, and watersheds, as well as the increased need for opportunities to sustainably enjoy the forest. We support forest plan components and decision-making processes that focus on long-term solutions, preserve access to public lands, and protect natural environments and wildlife habitat in order to leave a legacy for future generations. This should also take into consideration the ongoing and accelerating effects of climate change. The following are a few key ways the Forest Service can support outdoor recreation in the final forest plan:

Climbing

Rock climbing is an important recreation activity on the Manti-La Sal National Forest and is  an appropriate and sustainable form of recreation on National Forest system lands. The Forest Service should include provisions that recognize rock climbing as a legitimate Wilderness and non-Wilderness activity and support the use of fixed climbing anchors as  appropriate. In order to achieve this goal, the Forest Service should develop strategies for human waste management, resource protection, and erosion control and collaborate with  local climbing organizations on education and stewardship initiatives. 

Paddling

Paddling is human-powered, place-based, low-impact, quiet, non-consumptive, skill-based, and wilderness-compliant; it is exactly the kind of activity and experience covered under the requirement for “sustainable recreation”  in the 2012 Forest Planning Rule.  As such, paddling opportunities in the Forest Service should be recognized, and management measures should protect these recreation opportunities now and for future generations. 

Backcountry Skiing

Backcountry and Nordic skiing are long standing activities on the forest, but opportunities for these activities are threatened by expanding and unmanaged over-snow vehicle (OSV) use. Because motorized recreation can affect the quality, and safety, of non-motorized recreation experiences, expanding OSV use on the forest has displaced skiers from historically used backcountry areas. Winter ROS mapping in this forest plan revision process offers an opportunity to describe where OSV use should be allowed on the forest in the future.

Trails and Mountain Biking

The Forest Plan should maintain opportunities for diverse non motorized trail experiences, including use of specific trails and new trail opportunities.  Mountain biking is a very popular activity on the Manti-La Sal National Forest that should be managed sustainably to protect the resource and enhance the user experience. The plan should consider management actions that separate non-motorized biking activities from motorized recreation where appropriate and consider planning actions that authorize new non-motorized mountain biking trails, as well as other use specific non-motorized trails.

Closures

Seasonal wildlife closures are sometimes necessary. The Forest Service should work with state and federal agencies to reassess seasonal closures on the Manti-La Sal on an individual and recurring basis to ensure they are necessary, supported by current science,  tailored as closely as possible to the needs requiring closure, and equitably applied across  user groups. When a closure is necessary, the Forest Service should provide clarity and  transparency on what wildlife indicators determine seasonal closures for individual areas  and the science behind the chosen closure dates. Seasonal closures negatively impact the  continuity of recreation opportunities and the recreation economy of local communities.  Individual closures should be reassessed on a regular basis to ensure they continue to be  relevant.