With the temperatures warming up many folks are planning camping trips throughout the summer months but because of the massive snowpack we received during the winter many folks are unable to go camping in the Manti LaSal National Forest at this time. Castle Country Radio was able to sit down with District Ranger, Darren Olsen to talk about the details.
“We’re finding that areas are about three weeks behind schedule because of all this snow, so access has been challenging this year. But like you said, it’s a nice problem to have when our reservoirs are full and it’s just one of those situations this year,” said Olsen. What this means is that going through Miller’s Flat, up to Willow and Ferron Reservoir will not be accessible at least for another three weeks. The snow is melting very fast but it’s got the roads very muddy at this time.
Once we are able to head up to the high country you will notice that the rivers/streams are moving quite fast and you need to be cautious when around these areas. “We’re seeing a lot of the rivers running high this year, so just be careful around there, watch your little ones, be careful in or around water. Some of the reservoirs right now are still frozen over, that’s hard to believe, so if you encounter ice coming off the reservoirs, it’s just a time to be safe and be thinking while you’re out there recreating,” said Olsen.
When the weather and conditions begin to cooperate, there is a way for you to reserve a camping spot on the Manti LaSal National Forest. “So https://www.recreation.gov/ is where people can go in and reserve a campsite. Some of our camps sites are by reservation, and then some are first come, first serve, so there’s benefits to both those things. But in the past people would have to be on their computers and go to https://www.recreation.gov/ or their phones or whatever, now there’s an app that you can get. Something that we’ve done up here on the forest, is our sites are now reservable or you can pay for those using that app,” said Olsen. Officials feel the app is easier for campers to reserve their camping spots because they are able to scan a QR code to pay for those spots. With this app you are able to rent the cabins too that are located throughout the forest.
The Forest offers a variety of fun, family-friendly activities, but only when everyone respects the rules in place. These rules help protect the public lands, while ensuring a safe visit for all. For additional information on the Manti- La Sal National Forest, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/mantilasal