Canyonlands National Park, one of the most rugged yet fragile in the country, is accessible mainly by foot, bike or off-road vehicle.
For centuries, that inaccessibility has been its primary defense against human-caused damage.It has also been the park's primary allure, attracting nearly 16,000 people last year to the back country.
Those back-country users, however, are trampling sensitive soils, disturbing sensitive species and Indian artifacts and are threatening the solitude that many people value so highly in the park.National Park Service officials and environmentalists have agreed for years that something must be done to control the onslaught of visitation, which during the past decade increased an average of 14 percent per year.
This month, the Park Service released the "Backcountry Management Plan" for Canyonlands and the adjacent Orange Cliffs unit of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
"The park is getting hammered by exploding visitation levels," said Terri Martin, regional director of the National Parks and Conservation Association, an environmental watchdog group. "I want to stress how desperately this plan is needed to regulate how people use Canyonlands."
The plan, described in a 66-page document, divides the park into 66 "zones" within three districts: the "Island In The Sky District" in the north, the "Needles District" in the south and east and the "Maze and Orange Cliffs District" in the west and central portions of the park.
Some zones are designated as off-limits to four-wheel-drive vehicle camping; other zones are designated especially for backpackers and climbers.
The plan would place limits on the number of people allowed to stay overnight in each zone in each district. The limits would be enforced with a permitting system that would regulate group size.
For example, in Island In The Sky, vehicle camping group size would be limited to 15 people and three vehicles and backpacking groups would be limited to six people.
In the Needles, the plan limits vehicle camping groups to eight people and two vehicles, with backpacking groups limited to six people.
One of the most popular zones of the Needles is Chesler Park, which had 691 user nights last April.
The plan calls for eight designated campsites where the capacity could not exceed 30 people on any night.
In the Maze, vehicle camping groups would be restricted to eight people and two vehicles, with backpacking groups held to just four people.
"The Maze District has been set aside to provide a more primitive experience with fewer human encounters," the plan states.
The proposal's limitations are based on visitation in April 1992 and April 1993. The limits would make it more difficult in coming years for people to stay overnight in the park wherever they want.
"You will still be able to go backpacking when you want to but not always exactly where you want to," said Martin. "The good news is that when you go, you'll know that there will be camping space available and that you will have a high-quality experience where your solitude and experience of nature is protected."
While encouraged by the plan, Martin said it doesn't go far enough.
"We think the numbers for Island and the Maze are too high. We'll be raising some questions about that. We think the numbers should be tighter, especially in the Maze."
A major flaw in the plan, she said, is that it doesn't address day use. No permits are needed to go into any of the districts unless one plans to stay overnight.
"There are significant day-use impact in the Needles and on the Shafer Trail, where you can see up to 200 mountain bikers per day. There needs to be a cap on the ultimate total numbers. Otherwise, it will turn into a Central Park-type bike path through Canyonlands. We don't think that's appropriate."
Other highlights of the proposed plan:
- No pets allowed. Because of problems with pet excrement and pets disturbing wildlife and visitors, all pets would be prohibited in the back country.
- Road closed. The 9.5-mile Salt Creek Road would be closed to protect the creek from damaged streambanks and from vehicle-fluid leakage.
- Aircraft to be discouraged. Most visitors complain of aircraft overflights. The Park Service will try to persuade Congress to pass legislation to prohibit or restrict flights over national parks. In the meantime, park officials will ask pilots to observe a 2,000-foot advisory ceiling.
- Commercial filming. Current guidelines would be followed but with a more restrictive interpretation in areas with higher back-country solitude values.
- Relict areas closed. Jasper Canyon zone in the Maze and Virginia Park zone in the Needles would be closed permanently to the general public to protect those untouched areas for scientific research.
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(Schedule)
Hearings scheduled on park proposal
The National Park Service is holding a series of public meetings to discuss a proposal that would limit access to the back country of Canyonlands National Park. Each meeting runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.:
Tuesday, Jan. 11 - John Wesley Powell River History Museum, Green River, Emery County.
Wednesday, Jan. 12 - Division of Natural Resources, 1636 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City.
Tuesday, Jan. 18 - Park Pavilion, 65 E. 100 North, Monticello, San Juan County.
Thursday, Jan. 20 - Bureau of Land Management, 406 S. 100 West, Hanksville, Wayne County.
Monday, Jan. 25 - National Park Service regional office, Room 4, 12795 W. Alemeda Parkway, Lakewood, Colo.
Wednesday, Jan. 26 - Civic Center, 450 E. 100 North, Moab.
For more information or to submit written comments, contact Canyonlands National Park, 125 W. 200 South, Moab, UT 84532. Written comments are due by Feb. 18.