Talk about a big payoff for very little work. Driving down Buckhorn Draw has to be one of the most accessible beautiful places that nobody outside the local area knows about.
While I would still like to plan a big trip exploring the backroads of the San Rafael Swell from the North End to the south end, in the meantime it's really easy to just go sample the area on the very well maintained and easy to drive Buckhorn Draw Road. It's jam packed with scenery, wildlife, and rock art including my favorite Barrier Canyon Style art.
I was shocked at how much development is being done in the area. Historically the place has kind of been abused by a high number of rowdy tourists and no control to keep them from trampling and trashing the area. But since the new bill passing making it a National Recreation area they're getting things organized. Instead of the "setup camp wherever there is a flat spot regardless of the impact is causes" mentality; they're creating organized campsites with prefabbed firepits. I'm guessing a "camp only in designated spots" rule will be coming into effect as well. But now there are still plenty of sites but they're marked so you can see if they're occupied or not, or if there is room for 2-3 sites, or it's just one. The drawback is that it's going to be a pay to camp area beginning in the summer, but they're already putting money to good use taming the tourist impact a bit.
I think the days of it being a no mans land with OHVs parked on soft soils and plants; or camps blocking off entire canyons so they can have them to themselves is coming to an end.
KMZ GPS file of trip route: drive.google.com/file/d/17liq...
30 июл 2024
