Butler Wash Wilderness Study Area, Utah
DatesMay 9th - May 15th 2010 Service ProjectTrail maintenance Free DaysHiking to and exploring ancient ruins AccommodationsTent or car camping Trip RatingActive : Raking, brushing, lopping, bending, shoveling LeadersHenry Whiteside Equipment |
Fable Valley is a largely unknown high desert canyon and is located within the Dark Canyon Primitive Area, technically a Wilderness Study Area, on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. It is sandwiched between much more famous nearby places such as Canyonlands National Park to the north, Dark Canyon Wilderness to the west, the Colorado River to the east and Natural Bridges National Monument to the south. Within the BLM Monticello Field Office, Fable Valley is a treasure trove of ancient ruins hidden in pockets of high forest canyons as they descend steeply to the harsh redrock desert below. Fable Valley exits the Dark Canyon Plateau through Gypsum Canyon and then down to the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon. The entire Dark Canyon Primitive Area is the lower canyon portion of the designated wilderness higher up in the national forest. A main trail runs through the Fable Valley canyon bottom, and has historically been used by cattlemen moving stock seasonally from the deserts to the mountains. The canyon has seen increased hiker recreation and needs maintenance beyond what the agency has been able to provide. Our project consists of basic trail maintenance; brushing, lopping, water bar and tread work. This is a remote tent and car camping service project located next to a spring and backcountry cabin at the head of Fable Valley, hiking 1-3 miles to the trail work project and back daily.
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