MIDWAY -- Utah Open Lands has completed a deal to preserve a parcel of ground in Snake Creek Canyon above Wasatch Mountain State Park near Midway.
The 109-acre Big Four Mining Co. land is critical to recreational access to the upper canyon and wildlife conservation, said Wendy Fisher, Utah Open Lands executive director. It also is the last accessible "lot of record" with significant development potential in the area.Utah Open Lands bought and then sold the land to Utah State Parks, the U.S. Forest Service and the Snake Creek Preservation Society. It obtained conservation easements which protect land from development on the 54-acre state parks piece and the 20-acre society parcel.
The Snake Creek Preservation Society began negotiation with landowners two years ago. The owners had long foregone mining the property and wanted to preserve it from development. The ground was once targeted for expansion of Brighton ski resort into Wasatch County.
"This is really the result of the continuing vision and efforts by George Hansen and his family, demonstrating that one individual can make a difference and that local efforts can have a much larger, broader impact," Fisher said.
The preservation society continues to talk with other landowners in the canyon to preserve nondevelopable private holdings as well as ensure use of a trailhead.
In 1995, The Nature Conservancy of Utah and other conservation and government groups obtained 752 acres in Snake Creek Canyon and turned it over to Wasatch Mountain State Park. A perpetual easement on that parcel was granted to Utah Open Lands.