| The Division of Wildlife resources has announced their acquisition and management of the Cold Springs Wildlife Management Area in the eastern part of Carbon County near Bruin Point. The acquisition also changes how public will be able to access certain areas in the region. |
The Division of Wildlife Resources’ southeastern region announces plans for the interim management of the recently acquired Cold Springs Wildlife Management Area in eastern Carbon County.
The Cold Springs property is located near Bruin Point above the towns of East Carbon and Sunnyside.
The property was acquired through a property trade with the Preston Nutter Ranch owned by the Hunt Oil Company.
The DWR traded property located on Buckskin Ridge on the Tavaputs Plateau for the parcel in the upper Cold Springs drainage. The Buckskin property was part of the land purchase involving the sale of the former Waldo Wilcox ranch to the Division of Wildlife Resources in 2002.
Although the Buckskin property had a great deal of wildlife value, the location of the parcel made it nearly inaccessible to the public due to surrounding private lands. Trading the Buckskin property to the Nutter Ranch in exchange for the Cold Springs property has resulted in the DWR obtaining high value wildlife lands with good access for the public.
The Cold Springs area has been off limits to the public for many years with only limited big game hunting through the Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU) program. Due to the limited hunting and restricted public access, the property has become attractive to big game animals with good numbers of mule deer and elk in the area.
In order to keep the wildlife values high, the DWR will be allowing limited access to the Cold Springs area for the upcoming big game seasons.
Carbon County has obtained a right-of-way through the Cold Springs area and now owns the main road from the entrance to the property, down Flat Iron Ridge and connecting with the existing road to Cottonwood Canyon.
This route provides another access from Bruin Point to Nine Mile Canyon.
It is now possible to make a loop from Bruin Point through Cold Springs to Nine Mile Canyon and then back to Bruin Point using the Dry Canyon road.
The DWR will be restricting all other areas of the property to foot or horseback travel only to help insure a continued haven for wildlife.
Unlimited vehicle access would have greatly impacted the area’s big game populations and would have resulted in a much lower value for the wildlife.
Fences and gates have been installed at the upper and lower ends of the road that accesses the Cold Springs drainage. This road is now restricted to administrative use by the DWR and may be used infrequently for wildlife management and law enforcement purposes. The road will also be available for search and rescue and wild land fire suppression.
Hunters will have an opportunity to access the property for the first time in years and large numbers of hunters are expected to visit the area beginning with the deer archery season which began on August 20.
Hunters and other visitors are reminded that all motorized vehicle travel is limited to the Carbon County right-of-way road. No cross country or off-road travel with motor vehicles is permitted anywhere on the DWR property.
No camping and no open fires are allowed on the Cold Springs property. Camping is permitted on adjacent BLM lands that surround the Cold Springs Wildlife Management Area.
The public’s assistance is requested in keeping this area a valued place for wildlife and outdoor recreation. Visitors are asked to report wildlife violations or vandalism by calling 435-637-0890 which is the Price Public Safety dispatch center.
Wildlife violations can also be reported by calling the Help Stop Poaching hotline at 1-800-662-DEER (3337). Anyone with additional questions concerning the Cold Springs property, may call the Price DWR office at 435-636-0260.