Indian Creek Canyon

Indian Creek Canyon

BACKGROUND

Indian Creek Canyon is located in San Juan County approximately 50 miles south of Moab, Utah, on the border of the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. A dramatic and intriguing landscape, Indian Creek is rich in natural diversity and cultural resources, with some of the finest rock art in the region. It is also a famous rock climbing area, attracting climbers from throughout the world.

RMFI began working with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Dugout Ranch in 1989 to preserve Indian Creek Canyon and mitigate recreational impacts. In conjunction with groups from Outward Bound, Prescott College, Western State College, Colorado College, and Montrose High School, RMFI has built trails to many popular climbing sites and completed major restoration in several side canyons. RMFI has also completed a comprehensive trails and campsite inventory to assist the BLM and the Nature Conservancy in developing a recreational impact mitigation and management strategy for the area.

WORK OBJECTIVES

RMFI's primary project goal is to contribute to the preservation of Indian Creek Canyon through the completion of recreational impact mitigation, restoration, and visitor education and stewardship programs. Specific project objectives include:

  • Identifying and developing access trails to popular climbing sites.
  • Closing and restoring social trails and abandoned roadbeds.
  • Preparing trailhead information and visitor education materials.
  • Assisting the Bureau of Land Management and The Nature Conservancy in identifying recreation management, conservation, and restoration programs.

2018 WORK FOCUS

  • Complete improvements to the trail system at Donnelly Canyon. 

PROJECT PARTNERS AND FUNDERS

  • Access Fund
  • American Alpine Club
  • Boulder Climbing Community
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • Colorado College
  • Friends of Cedar Mesa
  • Front Range Climbing Stewards
  • George and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation
  • Montrose High School
  • Outward Bound
  • Petzl Foundation
  • Prescott College
  • Texas Tech University
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • Western State University

Get involved

If you are interested in donating your time to this project or other similar projects, please check our calendar for workday opportunities or contact Calla Balliett, our Volunteer & Partnership Coordinator with any questions: 719-471-7736 ext. 4# or calla@rmfi.org