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Show Ashley Forest issues plan for restricting vehicles Public comment on proposed revisions to the Ashley National Forest Vehicle Travel Plan are being sought by the Flaming Gorge and Vernal Ranger Districts. Revisions are deemed necessary to reflect changes in the Forest's transportation system, meet resource protection needs and provide for public safety. Proposed revisioas are as follows: FLAMING GOUGE RANGER DISTRICT la. Extend the present area of Little Hole Day Use Area to the Forest stream along the Green River, from the Little Hole Day Use Are to the Forest boundary. Also designate the lower Little Hole Trail as closed to 4-whreled vehicles. The additional closure area would restrict permitted vehicle travel to the trail only. The trail restriction would clarify the Travel Plan to reflect the fact that 4-whecled nccess to the area has not been allowed for several years. This closure is necessary to prevent resource damage. lb. Close to wheeled vehicle travel, the area within 200 yards either side of the Little Hole rond, between Little Hole and Dutch John. The Little Hole Road would remain open to motorized vehicle travel, but would be posted with appropriate speed restrictions. This closure is necessary to prevent resource damage and to provide for public safety. lc. Close (lie area within and surrounding the Dutch John town side to 4 wheeled vehicle travel, except on designated roads. This closure is necessary to control Indiscriminate camping associated with 4-wheelcd vehicles. Id. Close to wheeled vehicle travel, an area surrounding Dutch John Draw which includes the area from Flaming Gorge Reservoir to near the restrooms on Utah Hwy. 260. This closure is necessary to prevent continued resource damage and to provide for public safety along the Dutch John Draw Road. 2. Restrict motorized vehicle use to designated roads for 200 yards either side of Utah Hwy. 44 between the Flaming Gorge Ranger District txnindnry and near the junction of Utah Hwy. 2f0 with Utah Hwy. 44. This restriction will simplify and unify travel regulations along Utah Hwy. 44. 3. Close the .South Elk Park Trail and the Old Carter Trail to 4-wheelod vehicles. The area closed would be from Elk Park to the Old Carter Trail and from Browne Lake to Summit Park. The closure would be for public safety purposes. Both trails have deteriorated to the point of being unsafe for 4 wheeled vehicle travel. The trails will be oiH-n to 2-whceled vehicles and snowmobiles. 4. Close- tlx' Sols Canyon rond to motorized vehicle use. The closure is necessary to protect the Longs Park Dam and canal facilities. Other existing trails which did not appear previously w ill le added to the Travel Plan with no resulting change as to their use. VERNAL RANGER DISTRICT 1. Open the new East Park to Trout Creek road to public travel by motorizes vehicles. This is a newly constructed road and will provide access from Utah Hwy. 44 to Oaks Tark and Brownie Canyon. 2. Open the jeep trail at the end of the Mosby Mountain road, between Johnson Bench and Cliff Lakes, to public travel by motorized vehicles. A recent survey of the section of road revealed it is subject to little, or no resource damage, and can provide an appropriate 4 wheel drive opportunity to the public. The remaining portion of the Mosby Mountain road, from Cliff Uike to Whiterocksand Chepeta Uikes, will continue to lie closed for protection of high-country meadows. 3. Open the West Fork road (Farm Creek to Chepeta Lake) from the existing parking area to near (lie Chepeta Lake Dam. This is a short extension ex-tension of the West Fork road which will provide closer vehicle access to Chepeta ljike. 4. Close- a larger area around Chepeta 1-nke to cross-country, 4 wheel vehicle travel. This measure will protect Reader Meadow from further vehicle damage and aid the public in Identifying Iden-tifying the closed area on the ground. 5. Reduce tlx area closed to over snow vehicle travel In ,0 vicinity Mwocn Diamond Mountain ami Tavlor' Mountain. The purpose for the closure Is to protect areas of wildlife winter range. Recent surveys Indira te only lower elevations mvd to be closed ' The proposed changes have bw portrayed on maps which are availsN ; for review at district forest offices j Written comments will be accept through April lT.and should be sent to either the Vernal Ranger District, : North Vernal Ave., Vernal, Utah STS: or the Flaming Gorge Ranger District. . Box 157. Dutch John, Utah S-tOS. ; The following changes for the Vemal 5 Ranger District will be incorporated, into the new travel plan. They I", been arrived at through the Ejj" vironmental Assessment process l!J1 public comment having been received. 1. Several roads on the Vernsl Ranger District are open to ministrative traffic only. These roads to timber sales or roads nea areas recommended for Wilder1 classification. They are closed to puN-travel puN-travel by motorized vehicles and include: in-clude: tai the spur-roads north of t Park Reservoir; b the newly constructed con-structed Marsh Bench Road; i u the road to Queant Lake. 2. Tlie upper end of the Split fr Road is cloned to wheeled vehicles, from the physical barrier to the Marc" Bench Road 3. The I jke Mountain Road is ; to motorized vehicles, from Flat N""" ! to Moshv Canyon. I 4 The Grouse Creek Rond is dose1 motorized vehicles, from the old oil W location north to the physical barnf |