Adventures on America's Public Lands: A Whirlwind Trip to Five Utah Sites by Elizabeth Rieben BLM Environmental Education and Volunteers Group The author poses as a tourist at the John Jarvie Historic Site in northeastern Utah. As one of the national writer/editors working on the BLM's recreation guidebook, Adventures on America's Public Lands, I spent the winter reading about some of the best recreation sites in BLM.It didn't take me long to realize that I just had to go and see some of these special places. I convinced my husband that it really would be worth spending our week's vacation seeing as many as possible. Of course, with 178 sites profiled, we had to narrow our choices. We picked Utah because that was one of the sections of the book I edited. We set out as early in the year as we thought the weather would allow, which turned out to be mid-May of last year, and flew from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City which we used as a home base, having shipped our camping equipment there several days earlier. This is a brief description of what we encountered. (Note: It does not include the practical information found in the book.) SEA OF SAND LITTLE SAHARA RECREATION AREA: Sheep greet us on the road to Little Sahara Recreation Area. The first day we visited Little Sahara Recreation Area. Less than a 2-hour drive from Salt Lake City, this site makes a nice day trip, and we enjoyed having lunch at the picnic site there. Little Sarah is a popular ATV (all terrain vehicle) site, but it is worth a visit even if you're not an ATV enthusiast. It is located about 25 miles west of the small town of Nephi – a beautiful drive along a two-lane highway through vast expanses of sagebrush plains, always with snow capped mountains as a back drop (in mid-May, at least). At one point, we passed a herd of freshly sheared sheep, and lambs, literally standing in the road. The final approach to the site is rather unremarkable – or at least there is nothing to suggest what is ahead as you drive up to the parking area. We stopped at a popular picnic site and again, the environment was rather routine. That is, until we walked up a hill where, over the top, we were suddenly met by a sea of pure white rolling sand dunes as far as you could see. I was half expecting to see a camel emerge over one of the ridges, so vast and desert-like was the view. ATVs stay in designated areas, leaving other areas open for hiking, walking, or just playing in the sand. So, where did all this sand come from? It was deposited by the Sevier River as it flowed into ancient Lake Bonneville some 15,000 years ago. The constant winds assure that the sands are always shifting, and you can watch your tracks start to disappear almost immediately after walking through. We were there on a beautiful, cloudless Sunday afternoon; it was not crowded, although I hear on weekends and holidays, it is one of the most heavily visited sites in the State. At first, I mistook the buzz of distant sand vehicles for cows (o.k., maybe the sun was getting to me). But the point is, even standing on the dunes, the noise wasn't too bad. And on crowded days, non-vehicle riders can still find space to hike and play in the nearby 9,000-acre protected Rockwell Outstanding Natural Area. Little Sahara also features sage brush flats and juniper-covered hillsides. But the main attraction for me was definitely the white rolling sand dunes, one of the most unusual vistas I have witnessed. AN OUTLAW HIDEOUT This historic waterwheel at the John Jarvie Historic Site only turns when the river is high (as it was the day we visited). JOHN JARVIE HISTORIC SITE: Monday we again headed out of Salt Lake City, this time on a three-night camping trip to hit four more sites. Our first destination was the John Jarvie Historic Site. We took a different route from that suggested in the book, as we wanted to swing through Manila to see Flaming Gorge Reservoir. We headed East on I-80 toward Rock Springs, Wyoming, turning off at the Fort Bridger State Historic Site and Museum. After a brief visit there, we traveled toward Manila via highway 414. This is a spectacularly beautiful drive through high country framed by the snow-covered Uinta Mountains to the South. (My husband, who traveled this route every summer as a child, says it is unusually green this year.) This country, at over 7,000 feet, seemed not much lower in elevation than the snow line. It was dominated by sagebrush, except for occasional bright green patches of irrigated cultivation. After a brief stop in Manila and the Flaming Gorge reservoir, we proceeded via a beautiful drive around the Flaming Gorge Dam (this is part of a scenic byway), onto highway 191 and past the small town of Dutch John to a turnoff on the right that would take us down about 30 miles of dirt road to our destination. Much of this was over a fairly desolate plateau dotted with sagebrush and natural gas wells. White-tailed jackrabbits abounded. We also saw a prairie dog, a mountain bluebird, and lots of magpies. The road twisted around various shelves and benches in the severe landscape before making a sudden and rather steep descent as we approached the John Jarvie Historic Site in Brown's Park on the Green River. After rolling through the dusty sagebrush plains, the lush green grass surrounding the site coupled with the cottonwood-tree-lined Green River made a welcome respite. It was late afternoon, so we immediately started scouting for a place to camp. Given the large number of inviting campsites at two developed campgrounds and the few number of people, we had a lot of choices. We settled on a spot right next to the Green River, sacrificing the shade of more interior sites for the sound of rushing water offered by the riverbank. Suddenly I was glad that we had followed the instructions and filled up on gas, food and supplies. There is nothing around for at least 30 miles of dirt road in any direction. View inside the small visitor center (the "old stone house") with photos of John Jarvie and his wife Nellie. The campgrounds and the historic site itself are meticulously maintained, thanks to several teams of resident volunteers and one resident BLM employee (Deb Norton). This seems a perfect place to just relax – it is absolutely beautiful and, at least in midweek in May, it was not crowded. It was warm in the sun and cool in the shade with the promise of a downright chilly night once the sun set. I can't think of any better combination, especially since we had brought adequate layers of clothing, hot chocolate and warm sleeping bags. We took a walk as the sun set and spotted a family of mule deergrazing off the dirt road, and then, to top off a perfect day, a bald eagle flew right over us. The next morning we toured the historic site and learned about the colorful history of Brown's Park and the sad fate of John Jarvie. We stood in the very dugout where Butch Cassidy hid on more than one occasion. Our interest piqued, we bought several fascinating books on the history of the area at the small visitor center which also offers a short video presentation and a Junior Ranger Program for children. The weather again was perfect (well, what else would you call sunny and 75 degrees') and we had to wrestle ourselves away, knowing that our time was limited and our ambitions great. On the next trip, I will definitely allow more time to enjoy each place. I could have spent several days here, if only to read and listen to the river flow by. This is a spectacularly beautiful and peaceful site. IN TRANSIT Our campsite across the Green River. Can you see the small tent? CROUSE CANYON AND THE SWINGING BRIDGE: We inquired about our options for reaching Vernal, the main town in the area, and found that there were three. (1) go back the way we came; (2) go across the bridge right at the campsite, across Taylor Flats, and over some very rough terrain, or (3) cross a narrow swinging suspension bridge, go through Crouse Canyon and keep to the main dirt roads. We opted for the last one – after all, how many times does one get to cross a swinging bridge in a vehicle? The route to the swinging bridge follows the Green River for a while and crosses briefly into Colorado. (The Brown's Park area is near the borders of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, which is one reason it was a popular destination for outlaws trying to escape various state law authorities.) With much anticipation and a little trepidation, we managed to get our 4-wheel drive vehicle onto the cable bridge suspended over the Green River, and it does swing, although perhaps creaks and sways would be more accurate descriptors. The most difficult part was guiding the vehicle onto the bridge, which is very narrow leaving little room for error. Once across, we breathed a sign of relief and were quickly rewarded as we entered one of the most beautiful, intimate canyons anywhere around. Towering red-rock walls frame this narrow winding space that has barely room for both a dirt road and the aspens, cottonwoods and other riparian vegetation that hug tightly to the narrow banks of Crouse Creek. Our 4-wheel climbed up through the steep canyon which eventually opened up to a wide, high plateau dominated again by sagebrush and used by cattle. Progress was slow as the road was terribly rutted. A high-clearance vehicle was a necessity. We imagined if it rained, passage would be even more difficult. The beautiful Uinta Mountains, this time to the North of us, eventually appeared on the horizon and kept us company for a long time. This landscape view of the swinging bridge belies its intimidating suspension over the Green River. The bridge connects two dirt roads on either side of the river. The Uinta Mountains contain the highest mountain peaks in Utah, and have an unusual east to west orientation. Extending for more than 100 miles, they are a dominant feature of the landscape in this part of Utah. After 30 miles or so, we hit paved road again and soon the road dropped down steeply from a narrow bench. Before us were stunning vistas of the lower elevation plains, including a view of the town of Vernal. In no time we were in town, staying only long enough to grab a bite to eat before heading toward our next destination outside the town of Green River, Utah, some 150 miles south. It had already taken three-and-a-half hours to travel the 60 miles from Brown's Park to Vernal. But it was a beautiful drive and the route ahead of us was all paved highway. From Vernal, we headed south on 191/40 to Duchesne, where 191 splits off and continues south toward Price. This is a scenic highway that crosses through Ashley National Forest, which at one point rises to over 9,000 feet. From Price, the road south is flat, with the Book Cliffs emerging dramatically and abruptly to the east. To the west is the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry. The Book Cliffs and Dinosaur Quarry are also featured in the Adventures Book, but we decided to save them for another trip. (I visited the quarry several years ago, and highly recommend it.) DESOLATION AND GRAY CANYONS: The sun was setting as we took the left onto Hastings Road from the town of Green River, and followed it north along the Green River for about 12 miles. We were headed to the Swasey Beach area, the end point for raft trips through Desolation and Gray Canyons. We were there not to raft but to find a place to camp. Campsite in Desolation Canyon, right on the roaring Green River. We were lucky in that there was a single campsite left on the river and we had just enough daylight left to get set up. The river was roaring and it was then we remembered hearing earlier in the day that the volume of water released from the dam 100 miles upstream had been quadrupled. This only happens twice a year. The air was noticeably warmer in this part of the State, and the campground a little more crowded, owing to the easy access on paved roads. But our campsite was beautiful – across the river were rock formations abruptly cut flat across the top, just like in the movies. The sun setting behind these monoliths brought out their silhouettes in varying shades of pinks and blues that moved as the light changed, impossible to capture on film. As the sun set, a refreshing coolness set in as the stars began to emerge. It wasn't long before the entire sky was filled with them, and soon the campground was quiet, except for the roaring of the Green River on its way south. The morning was filled with shrieks of laughter from river rafters enjoying their last rapids at the end of their journey through Desolation and Gray Canyons. As we packed up our tent, several more rafting trips went by, and I decided that a trip through the canyon looked like a lot of fun. SLICKROCK AND MORE Bike riding is the activity of choice at Sand Flats Recreation Area. SAND FLATS RECREATION AREA: Our next stops were in the Moab area, about 50 miles south. We were there in about an hour and started our day at the Sand Flats Recreation Area, a 7,200-acre area of public lands on a sandstone plateau just a few miles from the center of Moab. The entrance booth was staffed by a young man who worked in the Americorps Program. In a creative partnership arrangement, the area is cooperatively managed by the BLM and Utah's Grand County and employs youth from the Americorps National Service Program and from local high schools through a special work-study program. It was extremely hot at 10 a.m. but it was another clear cloudless day, so we weren't complaining (as it rained at home in Virginia the entire week we were gone!). I was contemplating this difference in weather as I approached the open air toilet provided at one of the trailheads. (This set-up simply would not work in Virginia.) The famous Slickrock Bike Trail follows well marked routes on sheer sandstone rock faces. Sand Flats is home to the famous Slick Rock Bike Trail, offering 12 miles of riding over sheer rock faces for experienced mountain bikers. But it also offers superb hiking, biking and jeep trails on several other trails that lead to spectacular vistas of the La Sal Mountains and the Colorado River. While there, I spoke to one of the county recreation specialists and she explained to me that the area is perhaps too popular, and bike and jeep riders often create their own trails. Officially designated trails have been carefully and clearly marked, and riders are asked to stay within these areas. The desert lands surrounding the trails are sensitive and bikes and jeeps can cause irreparable damage to fragile desert ecosystems. This is clearly an example of a special place being 'loved to death.' SCENIC DRIVING The scenic Colorado Riverway near Moab takes drivers through the Colorado River canyon, characterized by unique sandstone features such as Fisher Towers (seen here in the background). THE COLORADO RIVERWAY: After splurging on lunch in Moab, we headed down the nearby Colorado Riverway to check out the campgrounds along the river. This scenic drive follows the Colorado River in both directions from Hwy 191, the main road leading north from Moab. It was a beautiful drive, with views of the river and of unusual rock features so characteristic of southern Utah. We stopped at several campgrounds. One of our favorites was Hittle Bottom along highway 128. Here, campsites were located among the trees lining the river, offering shade during the heat of the afternoon. The river behind us moved slowly while we sat on a picnic table, sipping water and contemplating the quiet warm stillness of the vast scenery before us, including Fisher Towers, one of several well known sandstone spires located along the Riverway. I felt as if I were sitting in a post card, and I wanted to stop time for that moment. I would like to say that we completed our trip visiting only BLM sites, but honestly, I felt I could not leave the Moab area without at least a quick visit to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. We visited both, and, while their beauty is indisputable, I must say that all of the campgrounds, parking lots and picnic areas were bursting with people, and traffic was an issue at Arches where we waited in a long line of cars, trucks and campers to pay the entrance fee. I was happy to visit and happier to leave, to get back to the quiet understated beauty offered by the lesser known public lands.

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