multiple use: important. is - paonia...

2
For any questions or comments please contact: Paonia Ranger District 403 N. Rio Grande Ave., P.O. Box 1030 Paonia, CO 81428 Phone: (970) 527-4131 Fax: (970) 527-4151 or E-Mail: [email protected] or vullrey @fs.fed.us Length 13.8 Miles RAGGEDS WILDERNESS/Dark Canyon Photo by Dave Bradford Paonia R.D. The Dark Canyon Trail #830 follows An- thracite Creek up through the towering rock walls of Dark Canyon. In the early season, waterfalls thunder down from cliffs and canyons high above the trail. After passing through the rocky depths of the canyon, the trail climbs the Devil’s Staircase to emerge on easier terrain. Several more miles of gradual climbing through aspen forests, groves of gambel oak and open parks bring you up to the flanks of the Ruby Range and then on to Horse Ranch Park. The Dark Canyon Trail is popular and well maintained. It is the major route across the southern portion of the Raggeds Wilderness, but it is rocky in the canyon with occasional wet spots. Three narrow foot bridges cross the creek which becomes a raging river in the spring. Above the Devil’s Staircase, which is a series of switchbacks and not as bad as the name implies, the trail is good. Bands of sheep summer in the upper area. Dark Canyon is typically accessible by early May, but be prepared for ticks and fallen trees blocking the trail. East Beckwith from Dark Canyon Trail Photo by Dave Bradford Don’t forget your camera! Drinking Water: DO NOT drink water directly from a river or stream. Water needs to be treated first by either filtering, boiling for at least 10 minutes or treating with iodine tablets. If you encounter sheep during your visit, approach them with respect & caution. Guard dogs are used to protect the sheep from preda- tors. Try to pass a fair distance from the sheep. If you have a dog, keep it restrained. If approached by a guard dog remain calm, tell the dog “Go back” in a firm authoritative voice. If you do not appear as a threat to the sheep, the dogs will just watch as you pass. Trail Ethics: Trail Ethics: Trail Ethics: Trail Ethics: The Dark Canyon Trail is maintained for foot and horse travel. Please don’t cut across switchbacks or create new trails. Motors & Machines: Motorized vehicles and bicycles are not allowed on the Dark Canyon Trail or in Wilderness areas. B e p r e p a r e d f o r i n c l e m e n t B e p r e p a r e d f o r i n c l e m e n t B e p r e p a r e d f o r i n c l e m e n t B e p r e p a r e d f o r i n c l e m e n t w e a t h e r a t a l l t i m e s . w e a t h e r a t a l l t i m e s . w e a t h e r a t a l l t i m e s . w e a t h e r a t a l l t i m e s . F a m i l i a r i z e y o u r s e l f w i t h F a m i l i a r i z e y o u r s e l f w i t h F a m i l i a r i z e y o u r s e l f w i t h F a m i l i a r i z e y o u r s e l f w i t h t h e a r e a . t h e a r e a . t h e a r e a . t h e a r e a . Multiple use: As you use this area you may notice that the Forest is managed for a broad range of uses. Recreation use alone includes hiking, horse- back riding, hunting, snowmobiling and sightseeing. In addition, the vegetation in the Forest requires some form of management. Timber harvest and livestock grazing are both forms of land management you may en- counter while using this area. The livestock grazing on this area is managed in a very progressive and specific manner. The fences and gates that you may see are critical to managing the livestock and meeting the re- source objectives that are planned for this area. Please close all gates that you open as you travel through the area. Controlling the livestock in the manner that we have planned is important.

Upload: others

Post on 30-Apr-2020

3 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Multiple use: important. is - Paonia Chamberchamberofptown.com/ptown/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DarkCany… · Several more miles of gradual climbing through aspen forests, groves

For

an

y qu

esti

ons

or c

omm

ents

ple

ase

con

tact

: P

aon

ia R

ange

r D

istr

ict

40

3 N

. Rio

Gra

nde

Ave

., P

.O. B

ox 1

03

0

Pao

nia

, CO

814

28

P

hon

e: (

970

) 5

27-

413

1

Fax

: (9

70)

52

7-4

151

or

E-M

ail:

lbro

yles

@fs

.fed.

us

or v

ullr

ey @

fs.fe

d.u

s

Len

gth

13

.8 M

iles

RA

GG

ED

S W

ILD

ER

NE

SS

/Da

rk C

an

yo

n

Ph

oto

by

Da

ve

Bra

dfo

rd

Pao

nia

R.D

.

Th

e D

ark

Can

yon

Tra

il #

83

0 f

ollo

ws

An

-th

raci

te C

reek

up

thro

ugh

th

e to

wer

ing

rock

wal

ls o

f D

ark

Can

yon

. I

n t

he

earl

y se

ason

, w

ater

fall

s th

un

der

dow

n

from

cl

iffs

an

d ca

nyo

ns

hig

h a

bove

th

e tr

ail.

A

fter

pas

sin

g th

rou

gh t

he

rock

y de

pth

s of

th

e ca

nyo

n,

the

trai

l cl

imbs

th

e D

evil

’s

Sta

irca

se

to

emer

ge

on

easi

er

terr

ain

. S

ever

al m

ore

mil

es o

f gr

adu

al c

lim

bin

g th

rou

gh a

spen

for

ests

, gr

oves

of

gam

bel

oak

and

open

par

ks b

rin

g yo

u u

p to

the

fl

anks

of

the

Ru

by R

ange

an

d th

en o

n to

H

orse

Ran

ch P

ark.

T

he

Dar

k C

anyo

n T

rail

is

popu

lar

and

wel

l m

ain

tain

ed.

It

is

the

maj

or

rou

te

acro

ss

the

sou

ther

n

port

ion

of

th

e R

agge

ds W

ilde

rnes

s, b

ut

it i

s ro

cky

in t

he

can

yon

wit

h o

ccas

ion

al w

et s

pots

. T

hre

e n

arro

w f

oot

brid

ges

cros

s th

e cr

eek

wh

ich

beco

mes

a

ragi

ng

rive

r in

th

e sp

rin

g.

Abo

ve t

he

Dev

il’s

Sta

irca

se,

wh

ich

is

a se

ries

of s

wit

chba

cks

and

not

as

bad

as t

he

nam

e im

plie

s, t

he

trai

l is

goo

d.

Ban

ds o

f sh

eep

sum

mer

in

th

e u

pper

are

a.

Dar

k C

anyo

n

is

typi

call

y ac

cess

ible

by

ea

rly

May

, bu

t be

pre

pare

d fo

r ti

cks

and

fall

en

tree

s bl

ocki

ng

the

trai

l.

Eas

t B

eckw

ith

from

Dar

k C

anyo

n T

rail

P

hoto

by

Dav

e B

radf

ord

Don

’t f

orge

t yo

ur c

amer

a!

Dri

nki

ng

Wa

ter:

D

O N

OT

dri

nk

wat

er d

irec

tly

from

a r

iver

or

stre

am.

Wat

er n

eeds

to

be tr

eate

d fi

rst

by e

ith

er

filt

erin

g, b

oili

ng

for

at le

ast

10 m

inu

tes

or

trea

tin

g w

ith

iodi

ne

tabl

ets.

If y

ou e

nco

unte

r sh

eep

duri

ng y

our

vis

it,

ap

pro

ach t

hem

wit

h r

esp

ect

& c

auti

on.

Guar

d

do

gs

are

use

d t

o p

rote

ct t

he

shee

p f

rom

pre

da-

tors

. T

ry t

o p

ass

a fa

ir d

ista

nce

fro

m t

he

shee

p.

If y

ou h

ave

a d

og,

kee

p i

t re

stra

ined

. If

ap

pro

ached

by a

guar

d d

og r

emai

n c

alm

, te

ll t

he

do

g “

Go

ba

ck”

in a

fir

m

auth

ori

tati

ve

vo

ice.

If

yo

u d

o n

ot

app

ear

as a

thre

at t

o t

he

shee

p,

the

do

gs

wil

l ju

st w

atch

as

yo

u p

ass.

Tra

il E

thic

s:

Tra

il E

thic

s:

Tra

il E

thic

s:

Tra

il E

thic

s:

Th

e D

ark

Can

yon

Tra

il is

mai

nta

ined

for

foot

an

d h

orse

tra

vel.

Ple

ase

don

’t cu

t ac

ross

sw

itch

back

s or

cre

ate

new

tra

ils.

Mot

ors

& M

ach

ines

: M

otor

ized

veh

icle

s an

d b

icyc

les

are

not

all

owed

on

the

Dar

k C

anyo

n T

rail

or

in W

ilde

rnes

s ar

eas.

Be

prep

ared

for

incl

emen

t B

e pr

epar

ed fo

r in

clem

ent

Be

prep

ared

for

incl

emen

t B

e pr

epar

ed fo

r in

clem

ent

wea

ther

at a

ll t

imes

. w

eath

er a

t all

tim

es.

wea

ther

at a

ll t

imes

. w

eath

er a

t all

tim

es.

F

amil

iari

ze y

ours

elf w

ith

Fam

ilia

rize

you

rsel

f wit

h F

amil

iari

ze y

ours

elf w

ith

Fam

ilia

rize

you

rsel

f wit

h th

e ar

ea.

the

area

.th

e ar

ea.

the

area

.

Mul

tipl

e us

e:

As

you

use

this

are

a yo

u m

ay n

otic

e th

at t

he

Fore

st i

s m

anag

ed f

or a

bro

ad r

ang

e of

use

s.

Rec

reat

ion

use

alon

e in

clud

es h

ikin

g,

hors

e-b

ack

rid

ing

, hu

ntin

g,

snow

mob

iling

an

d

sig

htse

eing

. In

add

itio

n, t

he v

eget

atio

n in

the

Fo

rest

req

uire

s so

me

form

of

man

agem

ent.

Tim

ber

ha

rves

t an

d

lives

tock

g

razi

ng

are

bot

h fo

rms

of l

and

man

agem

ent

you

may

en-

coun

ter

whi

le u

sing

thi

s ar

ea.

The

lives

tock

g

razi

ng o

n th

is a

rea

is m

anag

ed i

n a

very

p

rog

ress

ive

and

sp

ecifi

c m

anne

r. T

he f

ence

s an

d g

ates

tha

t yo

u m

ay s

ee a

re c

riti

cal

to

man

agin

g t

he l

ives

tock

and

mee

ting

the

re-

sour

ce o

bje

ctiv

es t

hat

are

pla

nned

for

thi

s ar

ea.

Plea

se c

lose

all

gat

es t

hat

you

open

as

you

trav

el t

hrou

gh

the

area

. C

ontr

ollin

g t

he

lives

tock

in t

he m

anne

r th

at w

e ha

ve p

lann

ed

is im

por

tant

.

Page 2: Multiple use: important. is - Paonia Chamberchamberofptown.com/ptown/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DarkCany… · Several more miles of gradual climbing through aspen forests, groves

P

rinc

iple

s of

Lea

ve N

o T

race

:P

rinc

iple

s of

Lea

ve N

o T

race

:P

rinc

iple

s of

Lea

ve N

o T

race

:P

rinc

iple

s of

Lea

ve N

o T

race

: 1. 1.1.1.

P

lan

Ahe

ad &

Pre

pare

Pla

n A

head

& P

repa

reP

lan

Ahe

ad &

Pre

pare

Pla

n A

head

& P

repa

re

2.

2.

2.

2.

Tra

vel &

Cam

p on

Dur

able

Sur

face

sT

rave

l & C

amp

on D

urab

le S

urfa

ces

Tra

vel &

Cam

p on

Dur

able

Sur

face

sT

rave

l & C

amp

on D

urab

le S

urfa

ces

3.

3.

3.

3.

Dis

pose

of W

aste

Pro

perl

yD

ispo

se o

f Was

te P

rope

rly

Dis

pose

of W

aste

Pro

perl

yD

ispo

se o

f Was

te P

rope

rly

4.

4.

4.

4.

Lea

ve W

hat

You

Fin

dL

eave

Wha

t Y

ou F

ind

Lea

ve W

hat

You

Fin

dL

eave

Wha

t Y

ou F

ind

5.

5.5.

5.

Min

imiz

e C

ampf

ire

Impa

cts

Min

imiz

e C

ampf

ire

Impa

cts

Min

imiz

e C

ampf

ire

Impa

cts

Min

imiz

e C

ampf

ire

Impa

cts

6.

6.

6.

6.

Res

pect

Wil

dlif

eR

espe

ct W

ildl

ife

Res

pect

Wil

dlif

eR

espe

ct W

ildl

ife

7. 7.7.

7.

Be

Con

side

rate

of O

ther

Vis

itor

sB

e C

onsi

dera

te o

f Oth

er V

isit

ors

Be

Con

side

rate

of O

ther

Vis

itor

sB

e C

onsi

dera

te o

f Oth

er V

isit

ors

Tra

il B

egin

nin

g::

Tra

il B

egin

nin

g::

Tra

il B

egin

nin

g::

Tra

il B

egin

nin

g::

Tra

il H

ead

at E

rick

-so

n S

prin

gs C

ampg

rou

nd.

T

rail

En

din

g::

Tra

il E

nd

ing:

: T

rail

En

din

g::

Tra

il E

nd

ing:

: Hor

se R

anch

Par

k A

cces

s #

1:

Acc

ess

#1:

A

cces

s #

1:

Acc

ess

#1:

En

d of

Eri

ckso

n S

prin

gs

Cam

pgro

un

d ro

ad N

orth

of K

eble

r P

ass

Roa

d, C

oun

ty R

oad

12.

Acc

ess

#2

: A

cces

s #

2:

Acc

ess

#2

: A

cces

s #

2:

Nor

th s

ide

of H

orse

Ran

ch

Par

k n

ear

the

top

of K

eble

r P

ass

Roa

d,

Cou

nty

Roa

d 12

. U

se:

Use

: U

se:

Use

: F

oot

and

Hor

se

Rec

omm

end

ed S

easo

ns:

U

SG

S q

ua

d m

aps

: P

aon

ia R

eser

voir

, M

arce

llin

a M

oun

tain

an

d A

nth

raci

te

Ran

ge

Dis

pers

ed

Dis

pers

ed

Dis

pers

ed

Dis

pers

ed

Ca

mpi

ng

C

am

pin

g

Ca

mpi

ng

C

am

pin

g

Dis

pers

ed c

amp-

ing

is p

erm

itte

d in

mos

t ar

eas

of

the

For

est.

Rec

-re

atio

n m

aps

are

avai

labl

e at

all

lo

cal F

ores

t S

er-

vice

off

ices

an

d pe

rson

nel

can

an

swer

qu

esti

ons

on s

peci

fic

site

s.

Cam

pin

g in

un

de-

velo

ped

area

s re

-qu

ires

mor

e fr

om

the

cam

per

to

hel

p ke

ep t

he

site

in

th

e co

ndi

tion

in

wh

ich

it w

as

fou

nd.

If y

ou

Pac

k it

in-P

ack

it

out!

Fir

e S

afe

ty:

Ch

eck

in w

ith

you

r lo

cal F

ores

t S

ervi

ce o

ffic

e to

see

if fi

re b

ans

are

in e

ffec

t.

Spr

ing

Spr

ing

Spr

ing

Spr

ing

Su

mm

erS

um

mer

Su

mm

erS

um

mer

F

all

Fal

lF

all

Fal

l W

inte

rW

inte

rW

inte

rW

inte

r

Da

rk C

an

yon

Tra

il #

83

0D

ark

Ca

nyo

n T

rail

#8

30

Da

rk C

an

yon

Tra

il #

83

0D

ark

Ca

nyo

n T

rail

#8

30

Tota

l D

ista

nce

13

.8 M

iles

Ele

vati

on

Pro

file

:

The U

.S. D

epar

tmen

t of A

gricu

lture

(USD

A) pr

ohibi

ts dis

crim

inatio

n in a

ll its

prog

rams

and a

ctivit

ies on

the b

asis

of ra

ce, c

olor,

natio

nal o

rigin,

age,

disab

ility,

and w

here

appli

cable

, sex

, mar

ital s

tatus

, fami

lial s

tatus

, par

ental

statu

s, re

ligion

, sex

ual o

rienta

tion,

gene

tic in

forma

tion,

politi

cal b

eliefs

, rep

risal,

or be

caus

e all o

r par

t of a

n ind

ividu

al’s i

ncom

e is d

erive

d fro

m an

y pub

lic as

sistan

ce pr

ogra

m. (N

ot all

proh

ibited

base

s app

ly to

all pr

ogra

ms.)

Pers

ons w

ith di

sabil

ities w

ho re

quire

alter

nativ

e mea

ns fo

r com

munic

ation

of pr

ogra

m inf

orma

tion (

Brail

le, la

rge p

rint, a

udiot

ape,

etc.)

shou

ld co

ntact

USDA

;s TA

RGET

Cen

ter at

(202

) 720

-260

0 (vo

ice &

TDD

). To

file a

co

mplai

nt of

discr

imina

tion w

rite to

USD

A, D

irecto

r, Of

fice o

f Civi

l Righ

ts, 14

00 In

depe

nden

ce A

ve., S

.W., W

ashin

gton,

D.C.

2025

0-94

10 or

call (

800)

795-

3272

(voic

e) or

(202

) 720

-638

2 (TD

D). U

SDA

is an

equa

l opp

ortun

ity pr

ovide

r & em

ploye

r.

Da

rk C

an

yo

n T

rail

#8

30