Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PARADISE — The East Fork Little Bear River Wildlife Management Area is literally located in Paradise, but state wildlife officials say conditions are far from it as a result of ongoing "misuse" by campers.
Daniel Olson, the northern region habitat manager for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, says campers regularly leave trash and feces over the mile-long stretch of the East Fork Little Bear River west of Porcupine Reservoir. Visitors have also damaged protective wooden fences on the land to use as firewood; they've left campfires unattended and even sparked them when fires weren't allowed due to wildlife risks, he adds.
Division officials say they've had enough. They announced Friday they are banning overnight camping at the Cache County property, effective immediately.
"We're going to reclaim and improve the area and make it a great place to fish again," Olson said, in a statement Friday.
The division acquired the land from a private owner in the 1980s, turning it into one of nearly 200 wildlife management areas in the division's portfolio. State wildlife biologists also altered the flow of the river, prior to the acquisition, by adding bends so it can create pooling areas for fish to thrive.
It's a popular place to catch brown trout in the fall, though it is also home to some cutthroat trout, too. In addition to that, division officials say the one-mile stretch offers "critical habitats" for wildlife outside of the water.
Though division officials say it wasn't acquired as a camping spot, it eventually began to offer overnight camping options, up until now. They say most campers have obeyed the rules but too many haven't in recent years, resulting in the decision to ban it.
They said the area will remain open for day use services and fishing access.
"We encourage anglers to come ... and enjoy a day of fishing," Olson said. "We've worked hard to improve the river and make it a great place for fish and anglers."
Just don't plan on staying overnight.
