Press Release
Officials with the Manti-La Sal National Forest will be temporarily closing Devils Canyon Campground on the Monticello Ranger District at the end of May for necessary repairs. The campground will be closed to all campers May 24 through May 28 in order for San Juan County Roads Department to chip seal the road.
The process involves spraying a tar mixture onto the roadway and then covering it with gravel. Due to the nature of the project, the campground will be closed to all visitors to ensure visitor and property safety. Once complete, the road must cure before road crews can return to finalize it. If contractors are able to complete the work early, Forest Service officials will reopen the campground accordingly.
“We hope that those inconvenienced at this time by this closure will have another opportunity to visit the improved facility very soon, and we thank them for their understanding,” said Michael Engelhart, Moab/Monticello District Ranger.
The Manti-La Sal National Forest apologizes for the inconvenience, but due to contractor schedules, these were the only available dates. Nearby campgrounds including Nizhoni, Dalton and Buckboard on the Manti-La Sal remain open for use, as well as privately-owned campgrounds. For those interested in a more off-grid experience, dispersed camping is always available on public lands.
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.
“The Great American Outdoors Act has provided a much-needed opportunity to address long overdue maintenance to the Devils Canyon Campground,” Engelhart said. “This project is one of the first funded by GAOA on this forest to enhance the recreation experiences we know our fellow citizens so highly value.”
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. 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.
In addition to helping address deferred maintenance for these critical facilities and infrastructure, the Great American Outdoors Act will help the Forest Service to continue supporting rural economies and communities in and around national forests and grasslands across the country.