A Review of Wilderness Management Issues at Bryce Canyon National Park

Wallen, Rick

The author gives a brief summary of park responsibilities under the Wilderness Act of 1964, discusses various wilderness recommendation and management plans that have been developed at Bryce Canyon National Park, and offers his suggestions for the future development of a wilderness management plan. Beginning with a preliminary recommendation for wilderness designation in the early seventies, the park has seen four management plans dealing with wilderness, backcountry, and trail management. The author deems all of these plans as lacking in their discussion of wilderness issues and in their finality. He introduces a number of issues which should be addressed by any complete wilderness management plan and offers a description of a workgroup which might be formed to begin drafting such a plan.