Handcart trail suffering from overuse

The "leave no trace" and "tread lightly" mantras of outdoor recreation apparently have have been overlooked on the national historic Mormon Handcart Trail in Wyoming.

Due to the increased numbers of visitors, new regulations are being made to protect the land, ensure that additional vegetation is not uprooted and to retain the historical value of the land. An assessment is currently out for public review and the Lander, Wyo., office of the Bureau of Land Management is accepting comments on the management proposal until May 31 by e-mailing WY_LFOSRP_HC@blm.gov.

The popular 26-mile trail, initially traveled by Mormon pioneers in the mid-1800s, has The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Bureau of Land Management concerned.

An assessment of the public land between the church-owned properties of Sixth Crossing Ranch, near Sweetwater Station, Wyo. and Rock Creek Hollow, southeast of Atlantic City, Wyo., has shown that damage has been done and patterns of environmental growth have been disrupted.

"We looked at the issues raised by the public back in January during a public scoping period that is typical with public land assessment," said Jack Kelly, field manager of the Lander office.

Specific concerns included not only the regular wear-and-tear on the land but new human-use issues including support (food, medical) vehicle use, camping, permit requirements and recreational use.

"The most significant impact has been from support vehicles that travel the trail," Kelly said. "Now, we've tried to use no more than absolutely necessary."

In 2002, more than 12,000 visitors traveled the trail, a significant increase from 2,500 trekkers who used the trail in 2001.

"At that time, there was no cap on the number of participants and we didn't have good experience on the number that can be accommodated," Kelly said. For 2003, only 7,500 trekkers were allowed to experience the handcart trail This year, the same number will be allowed, as determined by the BLM. Because of the restrictions, the trail already is scheduled to full capacity until 2007.

The assessment also found that patterns of wildlife had been affected by the high number of visitors to the area.

"When you have that kind of use, there is going to be some impact on the wildlife along the trail," Kelly said.

The trail is most active from mid-June to September, Kelly said, coinciding with critical periods for wildlife nesting and spawning. The proposal suggests peaking the usage of the trail at other locations and dates when wildlife would be less affected.

While the high number of visitors has disrupted the environment and the trail's historical value, according to the assessment, visitors are still permitted to cross the trail and the public is welcome to access the trail, which lies on public lands.

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E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com