Manti-La Sal NF - Monticello

Manti-La Sal NF - Monticello https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/mantilasal/home https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manti-La_Sal_National_Forest The Manti-La Sal National Forest covers more than 1.2 million acres and is located in the central and southeastern parts of the U.S. state of Utah and the extreme western part of Colorado. The forest is headquartered in Price, with ranger district offices in Price, Ferron, Ephraim, Moab and Monticello. The maximum elevation is Mount Peale in the La Sal Mountains, reaching 12,721 feet (3,877 m) above sea level. The La Sal Mountains are the second highest mountain range in Utah after the Uintas. Parts of the forest are included in the Bears Ears National Monument.

M VISITOR anti-La Sal National Forest Ancient Lands GUIDE Modern Get-away Dark Canyon Wildern ess La Sal Pass T Maple Canyon (© Jason Stevens) he deep sandstone canyons, mountaintops, meadows, lakes and streams of the Manti-La Sal National Forest have beckoned people for ages. Evidence of prehistoric and historic life is found throughout the four islands of the forest. From the Abajos and La Sals in southeastern Utah to the Wasatch Plateau and Sanpitch Mountains hundreds of miles away in central Utah, the diverse and scenic landscapes are rich with fossils, cliff dwellings, historic waterways, and old mines. Fast Forest Facts Acres: 1.4 million Mining: Source of 85% of coal mined in Utah; important source of uranium in the 1940s-1970s Amazing Feature: Forest habitat provides for the densest black bear and largest elk populations in Utah What’s Inside Get to Know Us .................... 2 Wilderness ........................... 3 Scenic Byways ..................... 4 Map ...................................... 6 Campgrounds ..................... 10 Cabins ................................. 11 Activities ............................. 12 Know Before You Go........... 15 Contact Information ........... 16 Today the forest offers people a retreat from the hurry of modern life. Those who seek solitude and quiet can find it here. Intrepid adventurers will discover mountains to scale, trails to explore, waters to fish, and woods where they can hunt. Scenic byways and backways summon motorists looking for stunning vistas, and abundant camping areas are perfect for creating family traditions. Come see for yourself! This Visitor Guide provides the information you need to make the most of your Manti-La Sal National Forest experience. Aberts squirrel G et to Know Us Our Heritage before, containing over 5,000 known archaeological sites that date between 10,000 years ago and the mid1900s. These places offer windows into the vibrant and complex communities that thrived in the rugged landscapes of the forest. During much of this era, people made their living entirely from the resources of the land. They also had wide social networks and depended on each other for trade goods and information about the world around them. oth the Manti and La Sal National B Forests were created at the request of local communities who depended on the forests for livestock forage, lumber, minerals, and water. At the turn of the century, water sometimes came in the form of catastrophic summer floods that tore through towns below the forests. Communities recognized that overgrazing was causing soil erosion and subsequent flooding, and that thoughtful management was needed to ensure continued resource use. Ferron Canyon pictograph etween B about 1,500 and 700 years ago, farming became part of Ruins in Dark Canyon the life-ways of these ancient people. Ancestral Puebloan (Ansazi) people established extensive networks of villages on what are now national forest lands southwest of Monticello. This area contains the densest number of archaeological sites on national forests in Utah, and tells a story of ever-changing adaptations to shifting climate and social conditions. urther north, Fremont farmers used the Wasatch F Plateau and Sanpitch Mountains as critical sources of plants and animals. They also took advantage of abundant chert (rock) on the Wasatch Plateau to make spear points, knives, and other stone tools. ut millions of years before these ancient civilizations, B these lands were home to such animals as crocodiles and apes. The only evidence of Tyrannosaurus rex in Utah came from the Manti-La Sal National Forest. More recently, mastodons, short-faced bear, and camels also lived here. C onstruction workers at the Huntington Dam along the HuntingtonEccles Canyons National Scenic Byway made an unparalleled discovery in 1988—the nearly complete remains of a mammoth that lived about 9,500 years ago. It may represent one of the last of its species, before climate change caused mammoths to disappear. You can view a cast of its skeleton at the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum in Price, or at the Fairview Museum of History and Art. Hammond Canyon Sanpete Valley citizens sent a petition to President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903 resulting in the creation of the Manti Forest Reserve. Citizens in Grand and San Juan counties made similar requests and the La Sal Forest Reserve was created in 1906-1907. Protecting Our Past For Our Future When you visit an archaeological site, remember that you are visiting someone’s home. Be careful where you walk and sit, and leave objects where you find them. Prehistoric and historic sites and artifacts are irreplaceable resources that provide clues and understanding into our collective heritage. It is illegal to damage sites or to remove artifacts. When visiting theses sites: Do ~ * * * * * Use designated trails or walk on slickrock Leave all artifacts in place Take photos or ske