Apply For Zion Park Backcountry Permits; Comment On Proposed OHV Trail Near Price

Zion Narrows - photo by Dave Webb

Zion National Park has fine tuned its backcountry permit application process and developed a new section on its website to give people information about popular backcountry areas that require permits.

These areas include The Narrows. (Permits are not needed to hike upstream into The Narrows from Temple of Sinawava, but you do need a permit to hike the entire canyon top to bottom.)

Permits are needed for all technical slot canyon hikes including Mystery Canyon and The Subway. These canyons are very popular and so the park restricts the size and number of groups allowed to enter each day. If you are interested in these adventures, study the permit system and apply in advance as much as possible.

See the Park website's wilderness section for more information.

Proposed OHV Trail Near Price

The BLM is seeking public comment on a proposed new OHV trail in eastern Utah near Price. BLM provided this news release, which gives details about the proposal and explains the comment process.

BLM Seeks Public Comment on Proposed OHV Trail in eastern Utah

Price, Utah—The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Price Field Office is now seeking public comment on the Geezer Backbone Trail environmental assessment, (EA) which analyzes the potential impacts of Carbon County’s proposal to designate and maintain an existing OHV trail in Carbon County.

The BLM is considering granting a right-of-way (ROW) for this proposal. All activities associated with the trail would occur within the authorized limits of the ROW. Any future realignment, reconstruction, or maintenance outside of the approved area can only be authorized through a ROW amendment.

Additional information about this project is included in the EA, which is now available for public review and comment. An electronic copy of the EA can be found on the BLM’s Environmental Notification Bulletin Board at: https://www.blm.gov/ut/enbb/index.php. A hard copy can be obtained in person at the Price Field Office, 125 South 600 West, Price, Utah or requested by calling (435)636-3600.

The public review and comment period for this EA is open until April 25, 2013. Please note that the most useful comments are those that identify issues relevant to the proposed action or contain new technical or scientific information. Comments which contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response, but may be considered in the BLM decision-making process.

Please reference “Geezer Backbone Trail EA” when submitting comments. Written comments should be mailed to:

Bureau of Land Management

Price Field Office

Attn: Ahmed Mohsen

125 South 600 West

Price, Utah 84501

Written comments may also be submitted via email to: BLM_UT_PR_Comments@blm.gov

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. BLM will not consider anonymous comments. All submissions from organizations and businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety.

For further information concerning the document, please contact Ahmed Mohsen, Associate Field Manager, at (435)636-3600. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.