Dispersed Campsites in American Fork Canyon
I found an old photo of AF canyon (date unknown) and compared it to a recent Google Earth image of AF canyon to illustrate the population increase. More people, more use, more impact. Imagine what a visit to AF canyon may have been like during the time the first photo was taken.
As many of the trail crew members head back to school, those remaining have consolidated to complete what work we can before being laid off for the season. Much of this work is being carried out along the 085 road into Mineral Basin and over Pole Line Pass.
The Dispersed Recreation crew has had their hands full this year trying to establish which dispersed campsites should stay and which should be closed. Those campsites which are closed are cleaned, rehabilitated and fenced off. Those which are kept are cleaned, enclosed, improved, and inventoried. It's been interesting to compare the impacts of the dispersed campsites to those of the back country campsites. The presence of recently hacked down green trees (poorly chosen firewood), of human waste and toilet paper surrounding the campsites, and of foil and trash left in fire rings are common in both dispersed and back country sites. The dispersed campsites are different in that they have much more.
Dispersed camping is basically any camping done from the car where you are not staying in a developed campground with fees. As most of these sites are well away from any constructed bathrooms, users must find an alternative means of disposing of human waste. Many campers are not doing a good job of this. It doesn't surprise us anymore to find a vacant campsite with a 5 gallon bucket left behind, the contents of which I will spare you the details but are never a pleasant surprise. The presence of 5 gallon buckets is only part of what we find. Last week we found a camp site that took 5 people 45 minutes to clean up.
The majority of people reading this will react with disgust and disbelief, yet the problem persists. Who is leaving this trash and who is expected to clean it up? Certainly the Forest Service can't check each dispersed campsite every morning to ensure the next visitor a clean campsite. We work hard to regularly visit all areas, however there are far too many sites for the number of staff to do it daily.
Fecal-borne contaminants can find their way into your body via one of several routes: contaminated drinking water, direct or indirect contact, and contact with insects that have contacted a contaminant. The need for campers to relieve themselves isn't expect to decrease anytime, so what can be done to protect our favorite camping areas?
Given enough time and exposure to elements like oxygen, heat, ultraviolet radiation, and dryness, the waste will eventually break down into a harmless state. You can usually count on the fact that other people with be there before that happens. This is why it should be carried out in a bag, or disposed of in a place that maximizes decomposition and minimizes the chance of water contamination or discovery by someone or something. In sites with a high number of visitors, finding a place that is likely to remain undiscovered and unused is unlikely. A disposable container or bag is usually the best option.
While I hoped back country users would be better prepared and more aware of their impact, it appears that the only thing keeping the back country sites from looking like the dispersed sites is the difficulty of access and difficulty of carrying as much equipment that could be left behind. The number of trees cut down for firewood and the amount of waste left on the surface in back country sites, when compared to those in dispersed sites, indicate this.
The only way these problems will decrease is if education, awareness, and preparedness increase. For those in need of firewood, either bring wood from home or gather wood from areas far from camp. Gather wood (dead and fallen) small enough to break by hand and don't burn green or decomposing wood. Pack out what you pack in or dispose of it in such a way as to allow for decomposition. Stay on designated routes and trails. Leave your area cleaner than you found it out of consideration for the next group. Keep camp clean at all times, not just before departing. Many articles of trash were likely littered unintentionally (ie. bread bag ties, Capri Sun juice packets and straw wrappers, plastic bags, beer bottle caps, etc.). Help the Forest Service take care of the land by reporting any abuse. Jot down a license plate number and make a telephone call, if you can do it safely.
Pleasant Grove Ranger District
(801) 785-3563
As many of the trail crew members head back to school, those remaining have consolidated to complete what work we can before being laid off for the season. Much of this work is being carried out along the 085 road into Mineral Basin and over Pole Line Pass.
The Dispersed Recreation crew has had their hands full this year trying to establish which dispersed campsites should stay and which should be closed. Those campsites which are closed are cleaned, rehabilitated and fenced off. Those which are kept are cleaned, enclosed, improved, and inventoried. It's been interesting to compare the impacts of the dispersed campsites to those of the back country campsites. The presence of recently hacked down green trees (poorly chosen firewood), of human waste and toilet paper surrounding the campsites, and of foil and trash left in fire rings are common in both dispersed and back country sites. The dispersed campsites are different in that they have much more.
Dispersed camping is basically any camping done from the car where you are not staying in a developed campground with fees. As most of these sites are well away from any constructed bathrooms, users must find an alternative means of disposing of human waste. Many campers are not doing a good job of this. It doesn't surprise us anymore to find a vacant campsite with a 5 gallon bucket left behind, the contents of which I will spare you the details but are never a pleasant surprise. The presence of 5 gallon buckets is only part of what we find. Last week we found a camp site that took 5 people 45 minutes to clean up.
The majority of people reading this will react with disgust and disbelief, yet the problem persists. Who is leaving this trash and who is expected to clean it up? Certainly the Forest Service can't check each dispersed campsite every morning to ensure the next visitor a clean campsite. We work hard to regularly visit all areas, however there are far too many sites for the number of staff to do it daily.
Fecal-borne contaminants can find their way into your body via one of several routes: contaminated drinking water, direct or indirect contact, and contact with insects that have contacted a contaminant. The need for campers to relieve themselves isn't expect to decrease anytime, so what can be done to protect our favorite camping areas?
Given enough time and exposure to elements like oxygen, heat, ultraviolet radiation, and dryness, the waste will eventually break down into a harmless state. You can usually count on the fact that other people with be there before that happens. This is why it should be carried out in a bag, or disposed of in a place that maximizes decomposition and minimizes the chance of water contamination or discovery by someone or something. In sites with a high number of visitors, finding a place that is likely to remain undiscovered and unused is unlikely. A disposable container or bag is usually the best option.
While I hoped back country users would be better prepared and more aware of their impact, it appears that the only thing keeping the back country sites from looking like the dispersed sites is the difficulty of access and difficulty of carrying as much equipment that could be left behind. The number of trees cut down for firewood and the amount of waste left on the surface in back country sites, when compared to those in dispersed sites, indicate this.
The only way these problems will decrease is if education, awareness, and preparedness increase. For those in need of firewood, either bring wood from home or gather wood from areas far from camp. Gather wood (dead and fallen) small enough to break by hand and don't burn green or decomposing wood. Pack out what you pack in or dispose of it in such a way as to allow for decomposition. Stay on designated routes and trails. Leave your area cleaner than you found it out of consideration for the next group. Keep camp clean at all times, not just before departing. Many articles of trash were likely littered unintentionally (ie. bread bag ties, Capri Sun juice packets and straw wrappers, plastic bags, beer bottle caps, etc.). Help the Forest Service take care of the land by reporting any abuse. Jot down a license plate number and make a telephone call, if you can do it safely.
Pleasant Grove Ranger District
(801) 785-3563
Comments
There are a limited number campsites around the lake that fit the concepts put forth by the Leave No Trace program (I recommend visiting LNT.org). On the West side of the lake, there is a granite hill that provides a nice hardened soil, with spots free of fragile soft vegetation, that are over 200 feet from water, and that are out of sight from other visitors. As a Wilderness Ranger, I liked this location because it provided me with a bird's eye view of other visitors, allowing me to spot fires as soon as they were started and to take action.
The reality is that there are many more visitors than there are acceptable campsites. This is why it's critical to plan your visit during times of low use (i.e. not Holidays and weekends). Should you happen to visit and discover there are no suitable LNT sites, you are better off using a site that is already "hardened" than you are creating a new site.
I really appreciate your question and I hope this answer helps.