motor vehicles in the Canaan Mountain Wilderness

[utahastro]

The Canaan Mountain Wilderness is one of my favorite areas to hike in SW Utah, but I routinely spot fresh tire tracks inside the designated wilderness area, where motor vehicles are prohibited. In some instances, these tracks can be found a long way from the old Jeep road that crosses the wilderness area, so the impact isn't even being confined to areas that have already been disturbed.

I've thought about reporting this to the local BLM office, but I've heard that similar complaints to BLM in the past haven't accomplished anything. Does anyone have any recommendations about which office or organization I might contact?

 

[Wanderlust073]

I'd be a squeaky wheel to the BLM over that...

 

[canadug]

I would report it! Also, keep a copy of the report.

I have done this in the past and then followed up......Went to a supervisor level to get results and next time I went to that location there were new signs and big boulders blocking the access. If you politely remind them that their job is to protect the wilderness as per regulations it wakes them up.

 

[wsp_scott]

A couple photos with gps coordinates would probably help document that it is actually in Wilderness

 

[fossana]

I'd be curious to know what you find out. I know Squirrel Canyon and much of Short Creek are outside of the boundaries, but I've definitely seen tire tracks and skid marks in the drainages above it. They only recently added the signage at the Squirrel and Water Canyon trailheads, and I've never seen any marking of the official wilderness boundary at the top of Squirrel at least.

It looks like the number they have posted goes back to the AZ Strip office in St George. There's been some turnover in that office over the past few years, so I don't know who is now permanently in charge. If you don't have any luck, PM me. I can ask my conservation contacts.