Photo courtesy of recreation.gov
Huntington Canyon Campgrounds Temporarily Closed
Forest Service Press Release
Officials with the Manti-La Sal National Forest will temporarily close all Huntington Canyon campgrounds on the Ferron Ranger District beginning Sept. 6, 2022, for necessary repairs. Campgrounds will be closed to all users until approximately Oct. 7, 2022.
Repairs will address several deferred maintenance items, including 56 new picnic tables, 14 new fire rings, four new serving tables, new table and fire ring pads (some gravel and some concrete), concrete sidewalk, and the re-design of several sites.
Trailheads, parking areas and pull-outs that access the side canyons will still be open and available for public use. Campgrounds will reopen on a first come, first served basis following the completion of work.
Camping in Huntington Canyon is limited to developed camp sites, and no dispersed camping is authorized. In order to complete the necessary repairs, camping will be closed from the bottom of Huntington Canyon up to the Millers Flat Road and staging area.
The Manti-La Sal National Forest apologizes for the inconvenience. Nearby campgrounds, including Gooseberry Reservoir on the Manti-La Sal and Scofield Reservoir State Park, remain open for use, as well as privately owned campgrounds.
The project is one of several being funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), which passed in 2020 and authorizes funding under the Legacy Restoration Fund annually through fiscal year 2025.
“We are excited to complete several necessary improvements to Huntington Canyon campgrounds utilizing GAOA funding,” said Ryan Nehl, forest supervisor. “These funds have provided a much-needed opportunity to address long overdue maintenance issues throughout the forest.”
Projects completed utilizing GAOA funds include successfully chipping and sealing Devil’s Canyon Campground, in partnership with the San Juan County Roads department, and road repairs to Maple Canyon Campground.
The Great American Outdoors Act responds to the growing $5 billion backlog of deferred maintenance on national forest and grasslands, which includes $3.7 billion for roads and bridges and $1.5 billion for visitor centers, campgrounds and other facilities.
Since passage of the Great American Outdoors Act two years ago, the USDA Forest Service has selected more than 880 Legacy Restoration Fund projects aimed at reducing deferred maintenance, strengthening rural infrastructure, and enhancing access to public lands.
The Forest Service currently administers more than 370,000 miles of roads, 13,400 bridges, 159,000 miles of trails, 1,700 dams and reservoirs, 1,500 communications sites, 27,000 recreation sites and 40,000 facilities of other types.