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Field Inveat1gat1011 Report· Needles Area, Utah CONTENTS PAGE ·9 t t'.} .I :.?·.~ Swmnary Section - - - - - - - - - - - • - - - - - - - - - • - - • 1 Report Section - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • - - -· 4 Investigation Activities- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Boundaries and Acreage - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 Present Land OWners and Use - - - - - • • - - - - - - • 6 J·9 Bst1mated Land Values·- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 : :LJ Possible Development - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - 7 Geologic Resume• ot the Beedles Salt Creek Area - - - - - - - - - 9 Biology ot the Needles Area- • - - - - - - - - - - - - --- - - - 11 Introduction - - - - - - - • - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11 Vegetation - - - - -· - - - - - - - - - • - - - - - - - 12 Animals- - - - - - - - - - - - - - • - - - - - - - - - 15 Conclusions - - - - • - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16 Archeological Resume• ot the Needles - Salt Creek Area- - - - - - 17 . LI l I' II PIBLD IIVUTIGATIOM REPORT Proposed Needles lat1ol\al BeQreation Al'ea, Utah Septea~er 1959 A\Jgust 1960, revised u. s. Department ot the Interior National Park Service '. :, ~- J Region Three ,, ~ J : -i I I ···-··· ---· ,• .... -.~-- ... ...... .... - ··----- 1-~] \__] f .. ] ICHFIELO I ~ - 1Nl \-_] .,·1· J •I A N A VA J 0 Et I N C I N NAVA-.10 NA"''L.MO~ 0 N II I CANYON DE . NATCHELLY~1L. MON.· H 0 PI I N D I A N I 9=£. R V A T I 0 N .. IO 0 IO 20 40 60 SCALE IN MILES VICINITY MAP NEEDLES AREA l UTAH SUMMARY SECTION The Needles Country ot southe~stern Utah lies east and some­ wha~ south ot the Junction or the Green and Colorado Rivers in San Juan Countr. It ls .an area of spectacular sandstone formations sculptured by the forces of weathering into bizarre pinnacles, tins, and arches. Parallel faulting (grabens) has been a controlling factor in the erosional pattern forming literally a maze ot slit-like, sheer-walled canyons. The area is scenically and geologically of national s1gniticance. It seems certain that citizens .from all sections ot the United States wo~ld be impressed by the scenic grandeur ot the spectacular sandstone mmarets, fWChes and other forms ot rock sculpturing, including Druid, ] Angel and Castle Arches, and 1n the taulting, the uplift~ and the graben ] valleya caused by the displacement ot underlying saltbeds, and in the hues ot the tormat1ona ot red, rose, and pinlc contrasted with cream '] and butt tints. Other features extens~ve11 scattered throughout the area which would elicit visitation are the prehistoric Indian ruins and --~ . ] ~ writings which remain much as they were when abandoned 900 years ago by .] the ·Anasazi or "Ancient Ones". Examples are Tower Ruin and the All­ .American-Man Cave. /] 'l'he proposed area covers 75,200 acres and includes Salt Creek Canyon, Horse Can1on, Chesler and Virginia Parks, Chesler Canyon and '] Butler Wash. Generally, it is bound on the west and noJ;tth bJ the w1 th­ drawal tor the Glen canyon Project and on the south and east by the J township and section lines necessary to ettect1vely control the drainages ] I g~ -".·1 1 ot Salt 81'.id Horse Canyons, and Butler Wash. On the north a quarter town- ship' is included to permit access to Lost and Salt Canyons and to more ettectively control the logical entrance to the plateau upon which the main Beedles formations are located. J)omestic water and terrain suit­ ab~e tor a headquarters area also require the acquisition ot land in the northeast ·Corner ot the propose~ tract. Since the area is only partially surveyed the acreage is approximate. By assuming no:r-1 town .. ships and partial townships containing normal 640 acres per section, a total ot 75,200 is estiplated within the proposed area, Within the boundaries ot this proposed area are 11 surveyed State sections. The remainder is public domain. Most ot the proposed area is grazed bJ cattle (one grazier). The tiling ot mining claims and oil and gas leasing are important activities. Potable water is scarce. No active mining or oil and gas drilling operations exist at the present time. Roads are limited to low-grade unimproved Jeep trails. Much ot the mobility attained by Jeeps is 1n the various creek beds thereby limiting use to rain-tree periods. Pew. 1t BnJ structural improvements have been made with the exception ot dirt tanks or catchment basins to store water tor cattle and scattered drift fences to control their movement. TJ:lere are many stories which might be told about this area. I I MY and all ot the tollowing deser.ve interpretation: The formation ot I -, ! the arches. sp~es, sandstone bastions, and the canyons and cross-canyons (grabens) ; the history ot the area w1 th mining, graz 1ng, Butch Cass 1dy, so-called Moqui C1v111zat1on, and river-runners; and the stol'J' ot the . I j plant and animal associations • 2 The area might well be retained largely in its wild state, accessible tor Jeep, toot, and horse trails.· Stream bed trails should be allowed, as they are erased during the runoff season each year. Fuz:ther trails should_be justified as to need, mainly to disperse visitation. Roads.for standard motor vehicles might provide access to a·portion of the area. Desirable developments during the tirst tive years would include some improvement ot existing springs to facilitate the sanitary use ot available water tor·v1s1tors, the provision ot public sanitation facilities, 1mprovement of roads, a headquarters area .;, J development, personnel, vehicles, and miscellaneous supplies • .l 1 ] ] .J J .J If l REPORT SECTION • ~ 1 Invest18ation Activities .. a I The study ot .the Needles area was coordinated between the Region Three Ortice·and the Supe~intendent of Arches and Natural .•. n 1 . _,.,- ~ridges National Monuments and occupied the period May 1'·21J 1959. The study group consisted ot the following: Assistant Regional Director, Harthon L. Bill; Regional Chief, Recreation Resource Planning Division, •.a I William L. Bowen; Regional Chief, National Park System Planning Branch, Leslie P. Arnberger; Park Landsoape Architect, Urban E. Rogers; Re­ .... , creation Planner Paul v. Wykert (all ot the Regio~ Three Office in . Santa Fe); and Superintendent Bates Wilson and Supervisory Park Ranger Lloyd Pierson ot Arches National Monument. There were other partici­ r-"' ' pants tor varied portions ot the trip. Monticello-based Jeep tour operator Kent Froat ut111Zed two or his vehicles and transported Salt Lake Tribune photographer Frank Jensen and Utah State Park and Recreation Commission Field Supervisor Albert Albertson during five days of the area investigation. Two days .ot the study were spent in company with three Bureau ot Land Management representatives. They were State Land Officer Evan Rasmussen_ot Salt Lake City and Land Examiner Abijah Cook, and Range Manager Nick Cozakos ot Monticello, Utah. '!'he tr1~ through the ~eedles area was by Universal Jeeps. Camps were established at s1.x locations and many stops and side trips were made to inspect the mult1tUde·.ot interesting features including ruins, pictographs, arches, side canyons, and mesas. Many ot the 4 Ii - . ·· i features we~e reached by short hikes including Druid AI-ch, the confluence j. -- t ot the Green and Colorado Rivers, Angel Arch, ·upper Salt Creek above the Jump (an abrupt erosive feature forming.a waterfall and preventing vehicular access) incl~ding All-American-Man Cave and numerous cliff and surface ruins and writings, Clett Arch and side canyons 1n Lavender 1 : Canyon drainage.and numerous ruins 1n Beet Basin and Ruin Park. ··~ :··....... I Boundaries and Acreage The south line of the suggested boundary ot the proposed j .-, I ··-~ area departs from the Glen Canyon withdrawal on the township line be- ··1 tween T. 31 and T. '2 s., and proc~eds tor eleven miles east along this ...... line. Thus, one ot two natural entry ways into the Needles Area will .,1 \ i be controlled, this being the corridor between Pappys Pasture and ~- 4 Bobbys Hole which provides access to the area trom the south. In order :] to include the middle portion of the West Fork ot Salt Creek, two sections (land 12) are included in 'l'. 32 s., R. 19 B. The northwest quarter ot T. 32 s., R. 20 E., includes ~iusselman Arch, portions ot I t i . I both the west and east forks or Salt Creek, several arches and numerous ... -· pre-historic ruins, This area also contains above-ground water and "'·,_:···1 " .. sufficient level terrain tor possible future development, The east .··-·1 line runs north on subdivision lines generally on or near the hydro­ .. static divide between Salt and Horse Canyons watershed and the Davis ] ·Canyon watershed. The proposed boundary then veers tor over one mile to the west and then continues north three miles, thence three miles "] west -and ties 1n to· the Glen Canyon withdrawal again 1n the lower part of Squaw Flat. The quarter townships in T. 30 S. , R. 20 E. and T. 30 S,, R.19 E., include the 3unct1on ot Salt Creek with the access road :1 5 ) I ] ] t'X'om the east, thus providing protective control over the Horse and ] Salt Canyons above this junction. Cave· and Squaw Springs are also included as well as th~ logical site tor a headquarters development, .J The Elephant Hill natural barrier is largely controlled from the southeast quarter ot T, 30 s., R. 19 E. This would provide a second ·1 control and contact point for visitors traveling into the main Needles area. l Thus, a total of approximately 75,200 acres is proposed ,:_ l which is 16 miles by 12 miles at the points ot greatest size. Present Land owners and Use ~l The proposed addition is entirely 1n public ownership. Ot ,-1 the estimated 75,200 acres, 8,000 acres are State ot Utah lands consist~ ing ot eleven school sections. Most ot these school sections were l surveyed 1n 1957 or later. The entire area is grazed under permit trom the Bureau ot Land Management, The permit allows 100 cows from June l l through October 15 and 100 cows trom November 15 through May 30 each year -1 1n Salt Creek and Horse Canyon.