ixie National Forest VISITOR GUIDE A Contrast in Color, Culture, & Climate Casto Canyon Tule Lake What’s Inside place of diversity, the Dixie National Forest straddles the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado History .................................. 2 Scenic Byways, A River in southern Utah. Scenery ranges from desert Backways, & Drives ............. 3 canyon gorges of amber, rose, and sienna to high Special Places ..................... 4 mountain forests, plateaus, and alpine lakes. Our Natural Resources ........ 6 Map ....................................... 8 Campgrounds & Guard Station Rentals ....... 10 Fast Forest Facts he Dixie National Trails .................................... 11 TForest is characterized by Activities .............................. 12 contrast. As a part of the Know Before You Go............ 14 Elevation Range: 3,000’–11,000’ Contact Information ............ 16 world-renowned landscapes Acres: nearly 2 million of Southern Utah, the forest provides a backdrop and serves as a gateway to The name: Southwest Utah was called Utah’s Dixie by early settlers from the surrounding National Parks and Monuments. southern states sent to the desert to Nationally recognized highways and trails grow cotton and silk; the forest was course through the forest and provide named after the area. ready access to the distinctive natural Temperature range: From mountain highlights of the forest landscape. lows of -30 degrees to valley highs of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Come see for yourself! Sego Lily This Visitor Guide provides the information you can use to plan your trip to the Dixie National Forest. G et to Know Us History hat is now the Dixie National Forest was once Christ of the Latter Day Saints inhabitedW by the Paleo-Indian Culture who hunted woolly (Mormons) sent settlers to the mammoths and megafauna. This culture was followed southwest corner of the state to by another hunter-gatherer group known as the Archaic mine iron and coal, raise cotton, Culture. They also lived seasonally in the high country and grow mulberry trees for and followed game to lower elevations in winter. silkworms. Today, these settlements still border the Dixie National Forest. ictographs, petroglyphs, Pictograph, circa 2,000 B.C. Pdwellings, and artifacts—all indicate orested lands were used for the presence in the area of minerals,F timber, water, and livestock forage. In the (Special diary cover & Mormon Young Brigham University Utah Southern Library, Sherratt Collections, horticultural prehistoric cultures. summer, families would relocate to the mountains Identified as the Fremont and to pasture the milk cows, producing Anasazi (Ancestral Puebloean), they butter, milk, and cheese to sell. occupied the During this time, large sheep herds— Dixie National sometimes 30,000 in size—were driven Forest area across Utah to Nevada and California from 500- for use by miners. These herds 1,275 AD. They left little forage for local ranchers. were farmers, At the request of local Pinchot Gifford planting corn, communities, the federal government set aside forest The conservation mission of the beans, and Forest Service was best stated by squash near reserves between 1902 and its first Chief, Gifford Pinchot (1905- water sources. 1905 to protect the grass 1910): “To provide the greatest good These cultures and water around these for the greatest number of people for North Creek granary used the high communities. In the 1930s, the long run.” country for hunting and gathering of rock, medicinal three different reserves plants, and other resources. Their stone granaries—still were combined into the visible tucked into the sandstone cliffs—kept their stores Dixie National Forest. safe from animals. Ute family, circa 1860-1880 uring the the Great (courtesy of firstpeople.com) D y the early 1,300s, new groups Depression of the 1930s, Bknown as the Paiutes and Utes the national forest served moved here from the west, as a work area for the living much the same as their Civilian Conservation predecessors. These were the Corps (CCC), providing people who were here when the young men with jobs first Europeans explored the area, building roads, guard led by Fathers Dominquez and stations, and recreation CCC building a restroom on Escalante. The route that they sites. There are still several Brian Head Peak, circa 1935 pioneered became known as facilities on the forest that show the Old Spanish Trail. By the off the craftmanship of “the Boys.” mid 1800s trappers, traders, gold hunters, slave traders, and oday, people value the Dixie National Forest immagrants traveled this road regularly. T not only for its resources (minerals, Today it parallels much of Highway 15. timber, water, and forage) but also for its opportunities for camping, fishing, n the late 1800s, Utah became a haven for hiking, and wildlife viewing. The thoseI escaping religious persecution, and in national forest is located in the “Grand 1849, Brigham Young of the Church of Jesus Circle” with several famous neighbors, including Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Capitol Reef National Parks, and Cedar Breaks and the Grand Staircase- Escalante National Monuments. The dramatic elevational differences mean you can pick the weather you want to recreate in! Virgin River rim The vast resources of the Dixie National Forest belong to all Americans. These resources must rely on the 2 stewardship of us all if they are to be sustained for our future generations. Scenic Byways, Backways, & Drives The Dixie National Forest is known for its scenery—from red rock canyons to high mountain plateaus. Scenic byways are major roads through this splendor that are suitable for passenger vehicles. Scenic backways are lower-standard roads that often require high-clearance vehicles or 4-wheel drive. Always check road conditions before you venture out. Highway 12 All American Road Utah’s Patchwork Along Highway 12, a 124-mile All Parkway National American Road, you will pass more than enough scenery to fill up your camera. Scenic Byway tah’s 55-mile Patchwork eaving Utah Heritage U L Parkway garnered its name Highway 89 seven miles from an incident in the south of Panguitch, travel 1890s when settlers, desperate for food, crossed a valley east into Red Canyon where to the north in midwinter using handmade quilts laid you’ll encounter a dramatic atop deep snow. They reached Parowan and brought food landscape of sandstone back to save the people of Panguitch. hoodoos. Continue east up onto the Paunsaugunt Plateau and the entrance The area is a patchwork of unparalleled scenery and to Bryce Canyon National Park. East of the plateau you’ll vibrant history. It serves as the gateway to Cedar Breaks drive through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National National Monument, and is a fascinating route across Monument, past three State Parks, and numerous scenic southwest Utah’s high plateaus, connecting to Heritage viewpoints into Capitol Reef, Boulder Top, the Henry Highway 89 and All-American Scenic Highway 12. Mountains, Circle Cliffs, and Navajo Mountain. The byway ends in Torrey at Highway 24. Travelers can start their byway trek from Parowan or Panguitch, historic Mormon pioneer settlements that still Areas of interest include Kodachrome Basin State Park, boast a large concentration of 19th century architecture. Escalante Petrified Forest and Campground, the Hole in The original Panguitch townsite is listed on the National the Rock Road, Calf Creek Falls Trail and Campground, Register of Historic Places. These two townsites were and Anasazi State Park. Highway 12 is an ideal location previously home to American Indian groups who left for viewing fall colors, and on a clear day you can see behind a number of sites to explore. more that 100 miles into Colorado and Arizona. This landscape is home to Brian Head, Utah’s highest A good place to start your explorations is at the Red elevation community and southernmost ski area. Canyon Visitor Center, located on the western end of Panguitch Lake and White Bridge have campgrounds. the byway, 3 miles east of the Highway 89 junction. It is usually open from Easter Day to the end of October. Scenic Backways and Drives (dirt/gravel roads) » East Fork of the Sevier River Scenic Backway (17 miles; closed in the Highway 14 State Scenic Byway winter): Starting at Highway 12, the backway (FR 98) travels along the Connecting I-15 with Utah Heritage interior of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, past Tropic Reservoir and Kings Byway, Highway 14 winds its way Creek Campground. from the red rock canyons near » Cedar City, up over the Markagunt Griffin opT Scenic Backway (32 miles; closed in winter): The road leaves CR 1660 and FR 17, then climbs to the Escalante Summit. It then turns Plateau, and past the beautiful north on FR 140 and travels across the Griffin Top part of the Aquarius Navajo Lake and Duck Creek area. Plateau, ending at FR 154 north of Posey Lake. From the plateau, you can see into Zion National Park; from » Posey Lake Scenic Backway (40 miles; closed in winter): This backway Strawberry Point you can see the begins in Escalante FR 153-FR 154, and ends on Highway 24 in Bicknell. Kaibab Plateau in Arizona and the rim of the Grand Canyon. A short » Hell’s Backbone Road (44 miles; closed detour north from Highway 14 will in winter; high-clearance vehicles take the you to fabulous views of recommended): FR 153 from Escalante Cedar Breaks National Monument. makes a loop to Highway 12. Hell’s Backbone bridge is an engineering feat ampgrounds, hiking, and fishing can be found at Navajo C originally built by the CCC in 1930s, Lake and Duck Creek. spanning 90 feet between canyons. Hell’s Backbone bridge 3 pecial Places S © Markus Gann Cedar Mountain-Navajo Lake/ Red Canyon Cascade Falls Trail/Lava Beds Located along 5 miles of the The area known locally as Cedar Mountain is really All American Road (Highway the Markagunt Plateau, on the edge of the 12), Red Canyon is lined Colorado Plateau.