U.S. Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Middle Kyle Canyon Spring Mountains NRA 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, NV 89130 Framework Plan [email protected] http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/htnf 702/515-5400 702/515-5499 fax Spring Mountains August 2005 National Recreation Area Middle Kyle Canyon F r a m e w o rk P l a n U. S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Spring Mountains National Recreation Area 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, NV 89130 Prepared by: Shapins Associates 1818 16th St. Boulder, CO 80302 Contents Contents Summary . S-1 Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 Purpose and Need . 2 Chapter 2: Planning Process Overview. 5 Analysis . 6 Plan Options. 7 Public Involvement and Plan Option Development . 7 Chapter 3: Existing Conditions . 11 Overall NRA . 12 Middle Kyle Canyon . 22 Future Pressures/Opportunities . 33 Chapter 4: Qualities and Issues. 37 Summary. 38 Discussion of Qualities and Issues . 39 Chapter 5: Vision, Goals and Use Program. 47 Vision. 48 Goals to Achieve Vision . 48 Use Program . 51 Chapter 6: Plan Options. 53 Option 1 . 54 Option 2 . 72 Option 3 . 78 Chapter 7: Phasing and Costs . 85 Option 1 . 86 Option 2 . 89 Option 3 . 90 Chapter 8: Summary of Potential Outcomes . 93 Physical and Biological Environment . 94 Land Use, Cultural, Social, and Economic Environment . 98 Public Parks and Recreation Lands. 100 Infrastructure and Easements. 101 LEED Considerations . 102 Appendices . 105 Appendix A: References . 107 Appendix B: Species of Concern . 108 Appendix C: 2004 Information Meetings Participants . 110 Appendix D: Cost Details . 112 Appendix E: Notes . 117 i Summary Summary S Summary Public Involvement Throughout the planning process, the planning team has solicited input from the public. Public involvement ensured that interested and affected individuals, organizations, agencies and governmental entities were consulted and provided opportunities to participate. Public involvement has served the following functions: • Obtained public input on key issues. • Informed the public about Middle Kyle Canyon and the Spring Mountains NRA (through newsletters, public Map of Project Area meetings, presentations and a website). This document presents a framework • Provided help in shaping management plan for Middle Kyle Canyon, within the directions for Middle Kyle Canyon. Spring Mountains National Recreation • Built support for the plan. Area (Spring Mountains NRA) near Las Vegas, Nevada. The plan focuses on options for managing approximately 2,500 acres of National Forest System lands to provide new opportunities for recreation, environmental education, and additional fire protection and maintenance/operations facilities. The goal is to select a preferred option that will direct the area's land-use decisions and facility development over the next 15 years. Development of the options required careful study of the area's Workshop Attendees Exploring Kyle Canyon resources, issues, and opportunities to address both current conditions and future growth in Las Vegas. Kyle Canyon’s Resources Middle Kyle Canyon is located at the Kyle Canyon has a rich diversity of natural transition from the hot and arid Mojave and scenic resources, and many of its desert and the more lush ponderosa and recreation facilities are currently located in bristlecone pine forests of the Spring areas with sensitive plants and wildlife, that Mountains NRA. receive large numbers of visitors. S-2 Summary In many ways, Middle Kyle Canyon is an Goals S ideal location to meet recreation demand from nearby Las Vegas. It is easily The planning team formulated many goals accessible, has a 10-15 degree temperature for the project based on an overall project difference from Las Vegas (rarely vision and in response to the qualities and exceeding 90 degrees F), has few sensitive issues of the area. Detailed qualities and ecological areas, contains many disturbed issues are presented in Chapter 4, and the and relatively flat sites for developing goals and vision are presented more fully in recreation facilities, and provides reasonable Chapter 5. opportunities for utility connections. Socioeconomics Furthermore, its topographic variation Provide a development that financially makes for interesting and varied recreation supports itself, and will meet the needs of experiences, and has many opportunities many types of people in ways that protect for interpreting the Spring Mountains’ the environment and private property. natural and cultural history. Equestrians, Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) users and Natural Resources mountain bikers currently use the area, a Restore and protect sensitive natural good indicator of its appropriateness for a resources and native vegetation. more intensive recreation location. Cultural Understand and take care of Middle Kyle Canyon’s significant cultural resources, paying special attention to Southern Paiute traditions and needs in the area. Visitor Experience and Uses Provide a group of recreation settings based Vision on Middle Kyle Canyon’s special natural and cultural resources, and manage the site Middle Kyle Canyon is a place for an appropriate number of visitors. that is enjoyable, easy to Transportation navigate for all people, and Provide a transportation system that allows provides a safe environment easy site access, eliminates confusion and is to form wonderful memories economical, safe and efficient. in a natural outdoor Education and Interpretation setting. Partnerships are Promote visitor understanding and used to promote pride, appreciation of Middle Kyle Canyon understanding, appreciation through education and interpretation that and protection of the site’s reflects the unique identity of the Forest Service. unique environmental and historic resources, and Partnerships Southern Paiute stories. Maintain and create new partnerships that are synergistic and produce solutions. Administrative Facilities Construct administrative and emergency response facilities that can be highly responsive, and are ecologically and fiscally sustainable. S-3 Summary S Description of Options Option 1: Balance Recreation/Education with Three options were developed for Middle Kyle Canyon, each based on a different Environmental/Economic model for future visitor use and resource Sustainability (Preferred conservation. They focus on “what” Option) resource conditions and visitor activities This preferred option would provide a broad are appropriate, rather than on details range of recreation and environmental concerning “how” recommendations should education opportunities while preserving be achieved. The project team developed the Canyon’s key natural and cultural these options to explore different ways resources. Recreation related facilities of improving and managing Middle Kyle that produce revenue would be provided Canyon and its resources for increased to help ensure long-term operation public use. and maintenance costs are met. Of the three options it would provide the most The overall philosophy for facility comprehensive program—allowing placement and recreation use would be people to choose from a wide variety of to build on already-disturbed areas first, experiences, ranging from very active and protect areas with rare or sensitive animal communal to quiet and contemplative. or plant species, safeguard significant cultural sites, and restore disturbed sites Village that are not going to be used for facilities. The center of activity would be a small A small “Village” would consist of several “Village” overlooking the adjacent “Valley” uses that benefit from close proximity of Kyle Canyon and the Mt. Charleston to one another. Convenient and frequent Wilderness. The selected site and adjacent mass transit service from the Village to valley are currently disturbed and ideal for key recreation locations would ease traffic revitalization. congestion. Facilities would include: Facilities outside the Village would include • Medium sized visitor center with a recreation uses better suited to rural or book and gift shop primitive settings, such as picnic areas, • Large and small amphitheater campgrounds, and a variety of trails. • Environmentally-based shops Expanded administrative facilities would • Shop selling picnic/camp supplies allow the Forest Service to provide better • Food vendors emergency response service, and close • Artist-in-residence studio coordination with local entities. • Small indoor multi-use space • Group picnic sites • Green “commons” area Adjacent Kyle Canyon Valley facilities would include: • Array of hiking trails • Sledding hill (for the few times adequate snow exists) • Children’s fishing pond • Natural outdoor classrooms • Restored natural areas on the Rim View From South Rim Into Kyle Canyon S-4 Summary S Near Harris Springs Road, Looking East Towards Las Vegas Transportation Recreation Facilities The Village would provide a range Recreation facilities outside the Village of transportation facilities, including would allow users to experience the area alternative transportation solutions that help from a multitude of different levels and alleviate traffic congestion. They include: viewpoints. Facilities would include: • Express buses from Las Vegas • Picnic sites for groups, extended • Circulator buses to upper canyons families and individual families • Separated bike/hike path and equestrian • Camp sites for tents or RVs, individual path along S.H. 157 from intersection or group of I-95/157 to Village •