Ogden MUD -- BoxElderBlackMtn

1679: At its north end, the Box Elder Creek route joins...

3580: In November 2003, after some media scrutiny and...

4203: After less than a year, grass is returning to the...

1691: As we climb to the south, the northern end of the...

4200: At the first spring development the route forks,...

1693: The unauthorized route passes through thick...

1695: Here the main road crosses Box Elder Creek. This...

1696: This meadow lies just above the second spring...

3911: A second access to the Box Elder Creek route...

1699: Above the meadow there are no further spring...

1702: This meadow, criss-crossed by vehicle tracks,...

1706: Forging into the forest from the site of the...

4763: Since the fence was constructed to keep out the...

0530: These two motorcyclists probably had no idea that...

1714: From this junction, the route on the right leads...

4759: Beyond this point, the Box Elder Creek route...

3013: The felled trees have not been completely...

3012: This photo shows a typical view of the upper...

1723: Approaching the shoulder of Black Mountain, the...

1720: At the top of the slope shown in the previous...

2612: At present, the Black Mountain trail drops from...

2518: This photo shows Black Mountain and Perry...

2606: The rerouted trail would presumably pass close to...

2464: The proposed, rerouted trail would rejoin the...

Box Elder Creek -- Black Mountain Trail

The Box Elder Creek / Black Mountain trail joins the Willard Basin road on each end, making a loop into the northern portion of the Willard roadless area from near Dock Flat at the north to Black Mountain at the south. It received illegal motorized use for many years, until the Forest Service fenced off the access points in November 2003. Now the Forest Service is proposing to reopen this route to motorcycles and ATV's.

All photos are by Dan Schroeder. Please obtain permission before copying any photo or map.

Select map type: topographic or shaded-relief. Point at the blue dots to view thumbnails; click to view larger versions.

1679 26-May-03 421156 E 4590520 N facing NW

At its north end, the Box Elder Creek route joins the Willard Basin road here, just west of Dock Flat. Illegal use over many years has created a large denuded area and a network of connecting paths, including the steep hill-climb routes visible in this photo.

3580 4-May-04 421150 E 4590549 N facing S

In November 2003, after some media scrutiny and an unfortunate ATV fatality in this area, the Forest Service built this fence to prevent illegal ORV use of the Box Elder Creek area.

4203 15-Aug-04 421087 E 4590512 N facing SE

After less than a year, grass is returning to the formerly denuded area just behind the fence. What will happen if this area is reopened?

1691 26-May-03 421066 E 4590427 N facing S

As we climb to the south, the northern end of the Box Elder Creek route follows a road used by Brigham City to access two spring developments. The route has been poorly maintained, with sections like this under water during spring runoff.

4200 15-Aug-04 421042 E 4590360 N facing SW

At the first spring development the route forks, while a third, unauthorized route makes a small loop to the west.

1693 26-May-03 420848 E 4590272 N facing N

The unauthorized route passes through thick vegetation and fragile, saturated soils, but this hasn't stopped the ATV's.

1695 26-May-03 420829 E 4590140 N facing S

Here the main road crosses Box Elder Creek. This entire valley is part of Brigham City's municipal watershed. Eroded trails and compacted soils are never good for water quality.

1696 26-May-03 420859 E 4590053 N facing S

This meadow lies just above the second spring development. Vehicles have left tracks throughout the area. The pale yellow flowers visible in the photo are dyer's woad, northern Utah's most notorioius noxious weed. This invasive plant is well established here and along much of the route up to this point.

3911 19-Jun-04 421198 E 4590242 N facing NW

A second access to the Box Elder Creek route begins here, at a dispersed camping area somewhat south of the main access point. This fence was also built in November 2003 to prevent illegal ORV use. By the following spring, motorists had broken this ATV-width gap in the fence. Now the Forest Service is proposing to reopen this access route as well, rewarding this illegal activity.

1699 26-May-03 420917 E 4589807 N facing S

Above the meadow there are no further spring developments, but the route has been widened by years of illegal use. In many places it is in very poor condition.

1702 26-May-03 420477 E 4588741 N facing S

This meadow, criss-crossed by vehicle tracks, lies just off the main route about a mile above the spring developments. At this elevation, aspen and fir have begun to replace the maples and brush found below. The diverse plant communities enhance the value of this valley as wildlife habitat. According to Utah DWR habitat maps, the entire valley is high-value range for deer and elk as well as secondary habitat for Canada lynx.

1706 26-May-03 420556 E 4588213 N facing NE

Forging into the forest from the site of the previous photo, ATV riders have recently crushed the vegetation to create this new renegade route. The track dead-ends just beyond this location.

4763 25-Sep-04 420405 E 4588789 N facing S

Since the fence was constructed to keep out the motorized crowd, quiet users have begun to discover and enjoy the Box Elder Creek trail.

0530 12-May-02 420080 E 4588500 N facing SW

These two motorcyclists probably had no idea that this route was legally closed, because there were no signs or barriers on the route at the time. Perhaps in a few months they'll be able to again speed up and down this trail.

1714 26-May-03 419892 E 4588286 N facing SW

From this junction, the route on the right leads to Pete's Cabin and the Brigham Face Wildlife Management Area. The Forest Service is no longer proposing to open this route to motor vehicles, but enforcing a closure at this remote location (and several others like it) will be difficult. The Box Elder Creek route continues toward the left.

4759 25-Sep-04 419633 E 4587986 N facing S

Beyond this point, the Box Elder Creek route narrows and steepens as it climbs through a conifer forest toward the shoulder of Black Mountain. In 2002, before closing the rest of the trail, the Forest Service attempted to close this portion by felling a few trees across the path. If the route is legally opened as now proposed, the cutting of these trees will serve no purpose.

3013 1-Sep-03 419638 E 4587983 N facing SW

The felled trees have not been completely effective in any case: ORV users have created this new path around them, through the brush.

3012 1-Sep-03 419646 E 4587899 N facing S

This photo shows a typical view of the upper portion of the trail. Though it has been widened by ATV's, much of it still has the appearance of a wide single-track.

1723 26-May-03 419593 E 4587243 N facing W

Approaching the shoulder of Black Mountain, the trail steepens further. This north-facing slope holds snow through the end of May, so motorists have created multiple tracks and destroyed much of the vegetation while riding around the snow field.

1720 26-May-03 419576 E 4587202 N facing NW

At the top of the slope shown in the previous photo, a single-track trail traverses westward while the main route continues to the south. Note the elk droppings in the middle of the path.

2612 18-Jul-03 419544 E 4586599 N facing SW

At present, the Black Mountain trail drops from the ridge directly down to Perry Reservoir, a small pond at the head of Perry Canyon. Motorists had easy access to the reservoir until recently, and used it as a play area for mudding and hill climbing. The Forest Service closed the main access to the reservoir in 2002, and vegetation is now returning to the surrounding area. In an attempt to protect this area, the Forest Service is now proposing to reroute the southern end of the Black Mountain trail across the southern slopes of the mountain, bypassing the reservoir. This photo was taken from the approximate location of the proposed reroute, along one of the old hill-climb tracks. The mudding area is directly below, with the reservoir off the right edge of the photo. Keeping motorists from simply descending the slope from here will not be easy.

2518 13-Jul-03 418810 E 4585809 N facing NE

This photo shows Black Mountain and Perry Reservoir from the opposite slope. The existing trail from Box Elder Creek emerges from the trees at the left. To avoid the reservoir, the trail would be routed across the hill-climbing area to connect with the Willard Basin road at the saddle (right of center).

2606 18-Jul-03 419836 E 4586631 N facing N

The rerouted trail would presumably pass close to this point, where a ghost trail continues along the ridge from the top of a hill-climb track. The black-seeded plant in the foreground is dyer's woad, invading areas of disturbed ground as usual.

2464 13-Jul-03 419661 E 4586469 N facing NE

The proposed, rerouted trail would rejoin the Willard Basin Road here, at the bottom of a hill-climb route that the Forest Service has been attempting to restore.

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Last modified on 31 Dec 2004

1679	26-May-03	421156 E	4590520 N	facing NW
At its north end, the Box Elder Creek route joins the Willard Basin road here, just west of Dock Flat. Illegal use over many years has created a large denuded area and a network of connecting paths, including the steep hill-climb routes visible in this photo.
3580	4-May-04	421150 E	4590549 N	facing S
In November 2003, after some media scrutiny and an unfortunate ATV fatality in this area, the Forest Service built this fence to prevent illegal ORV use of the Box Elder Creek area.
4203	15-Aug-04	421087 E	4590512 N	facing SE
After less than a year, grass is returning to the formerly denuded area just behind the fence. What will happen if this area is reopened?
1691	26-May-03	421066 E	4590427 N	facing S
As we climb to the south, the northern end of the Box Elder Creek route follows a road used by Brigham City to access two spring developments. The route has been poorly maintained, with sections like this under water during spring runoff.
4200	15-Aug-04	421042 E	4590360 N	facing SW
At the first spring development the route forks, while a third, unauthorized route makes a small loop to the west.
1693	26-May-03	420848 E	4590272 N	facing N
The unauthorized route passes through thick vegetation and fragile, saturated soils, but this hasn't stopped the ATV's.
1695	26-May-03	420829 E	4590140 N	facing S
Here the main road crosses Box Elder Creek. This entire valley is part of Brigham City's municipal watershed. Eroded trails and compacted soils are never good for water quality.
1696	26-May-03	420859 E	4590053 N	facing S
This meadow lies just above the second spring development. Vehicles have left tracks throughout the area. The pale yellow flowers visible in the photo are dyer's woad, northern Utah's most notorioius noxious weed. This invasive plant is well established here and along much of the route up to this point.
3911	19-Jun-04	421198 E	4590242 N	facing NW
A second access to the Box Elder Creek route begins here, at a dispersed camping area somewhat south of the main access point. This fence was also built in November 2003 to prevent illegal ORV use. By the following spring, motorists had broken this ATV-width gap in the fence. Now the Forest Service is proposing to reopen this access route as well, rewarding this illegal activity.
1699	26-May-03	420917 E	4589807 N	facing S
Above the meadow there are no further spring developments, but the route has been widened by years of illegal use. In many places it is in very poor condition.
1702	26-May-03	420477 E	4588741 N	facing S
This meadow, criss-crossed by vehicle tracks, lies just off the main route about a mile above the spring developments. At this elevation, aspen and fir have begun to replace the maples and brush found below. The diverse plant communities enhance the value of this valley as wildlife habitat. According to Utah DWR habitat maps, the entire valley is high-value range for deer and elk as well as secondary habitat for Canada lynx.
1706	26-May-03	420556 E	4588213 N	facing NE
Forging into the forest from the site of the previous photo, ATV riders have recently crushed the vegetation to create this new renegade route. The track dead-ends just beyond this location.
4763	25-Sep-04	420405 E	4588789 N	facing S
Since the fence was constructed to keep out the motorized crowd, quiet users have begun to discover and enjoy the Box Elder Creek trail.
0530	12-May-02	420080 E	4588500 N	facing SW
These two motorcyclists probably had no idea that this route was legally closed, because there were no signs or barriers on the route at the time. Perhaps in a few months they'll be able to again speed up and down this trail.
1714	26-May-03	419892 E	4588286 N	facing SW
From this junction, the route on the right leads to Pete's Cabin and the Brigham Face Wildlife Management Area. The Forest Service is no longer proposing to open this route to motor vehicles, but enforcing a closure at this remote location (and several others like it) will be difficult. The Box Elder Creek route continues toward the left.
4759	25-Sep-04	419633 E	4587986 N	facing S
Beyond this point, the Box Elder Creek route narrows and steepens as it climbs through a conifer forest toward the shoulder of Black Mountain. In 2002, before closing the rest of the trail, the Forest Service attempted to close this portion by felling a few trees across the path. If the route is legally opened as now proposed, the cutting of these trees will serve no purpose.
3013	1-Sep-03	419638 E	4587983 N	facing SW
The felled trees have not been completely effective in any case: ORV users have created this new path around them, through the brush.
3012	1-Sep-03	419646 E	4587899 N	facing S
This photo shows a typical view of the upper portion of the trail. Though it has been widened by ATV's, much of it still has the appearance of a wide single-track.
1723	26-May-03	419593 E	4587243 N	facing W
Approaching the shoulder of Black Mountain, the trail steepens further. This north-facing slope holds snow through the end of May, so motorists have created multiple tracks and destroyed much of the vegetation while riding around the snow field.
1720	26-May-03	419576 E	4587202 N	facing NW
At the top of the slope shown in the previous photo, a single-track trail traverses westward while the main route continues to the south. Note the elk droppings in the middle of the path.
2612	18-Jul-03	419544 E	4586599 N	facing SW
At present, the Black Mountain trail drops from the ridge directly down to Perry Reservoir, a small pond at the head of Perry Canyon. Motorists had easy access to the reservoir until recently, and used it as a play area for mudding and hill climbing. The Forest Service closed the main access to the reservoir in 2002, and vegetation is now returning to the surrounding area. In an attempt to protect this area, the Forest Service is now proposing to reroute the southern end of the Black Mountain trail across the southern slopes of the mountain, bypassing the reservoir. This photo was taken from the approximate location of the proposed reroute, along one of the old hill-climb tracks. The mudding area is directly below, with the reservoir off the right edge of the photo. Keeping motorists from simply descending the slope from here will not be easy.
2518	13-Jul-03	418810 E	4585809 N	facing NE
This photo shows Black Mountain and Perry Reservoir from the opposite slope. The existing trail from Box Elder Creek emerges from the trees at the left. To avoid the reservoir, the trail would be routed across the hill-climbing area to connect with the Willard Basin road at the saddle (right of center).
2606	18-Jul-03	419836 E	4586631 N	facing N
The rerouted trail would presumably pass close to this point, where a ghost trail continues along the ridge from the top of a hill-climb track. The black-seeded plant in the foreground is dyer's woad, invading areas of disturbed ground as usual.
2464	13-Jul-03	419661 E	4586469 N	facing NE
The proposed, rerouted trail would rejoin the Willard Basin Road here, at the bottom of a hill-climb route that the Forest Service has been attempting to restore.