This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The face of Goosenecks State Park is Harlin Harrison, an 83-year-old Navajo who has dutifully come to this remote and relatively undeveloped geologic wonder in southeastern Utah at least twice a week for 34 years.
Paid a pittance by San Juan County, the World War II veteran removes the trash, cleans the restrooms and checks on the few aging picnic tables.
The Goosenecks hosted 64,535 visitors last year, many of whom were on their way to Monument Valley. There are no fees to use Goosenecks, largely because there are few facilities and no staff to collect the fees. About the only state investment is the salary of the maintenance worker assigned to Edge of the Cedars State Park in Blanding who makes infrequent visits.
Goosenecks is one of what might best be called Utah's forgotten state parks.
At least it can be found on a map something that can't be said for Danger Cave near Wendover, a place that is on the list of World Heritage sites. Old Iron Town near Cedar City is managed from Frontier Homestead State Park 25 miles away. The Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail State Park in Summit County is managed by the Mountain Trails Foundation, which has placed donation boxes along the trail to help with maintenance.
Then there are Piute and Gunlock State Park, two primitive water-recreation areas where fees are charged. Piute, near Junction, costs the state $1,000 a year to keep open. Gunlock, near the Washington County town of the same name, gets $8,000.
State Parks director Mary Tullius said that although it is not going to be economically beneficial to put in more facilities at these largely primitive areas, those parks have a level of intrinsic value to the state.
Danger Cave benefits greatly from the volunteer work of the Utah Archaeological Society. Trained by the recently laid-off Utah state archaeologist, these volunteers visit the site once or twice a month to check for vandalism.
"Danger Cave is a world-renowned world heritage site," said Karen Krieger, assistant director for Utah State Parks. "These places may be of more importance to scientists outside of the state and citizens in general. We work hard to at least keep them public, keep them stabilized and keep them preserved without any budgets. We spend very little on those places. We raise money and work with partners to keep them accessible, interpreted, alive and stabilized."
There are no signs directing visitors to Danger Cave. The only facilities consist of two interpretive signs. The cave entrance is blocked with an iron gate, opened only when archaeologists are present.
"Caves are so unique as to how they preserve cultural and environmental materials," said Krieger, who worries how the cave might be managed now that the state archaeological staff has been greatly reduced. "It's an amazing place to find evidence for the cultural and natural history of the Great Basin. It explains a lot about evolution, history, ancient climates and ancient people."
Old Iron Town preserves a charcoal kiln used by pioneers to make iron. The state received a one-time grant of $9,000 in order to build a restÂroom, create a nature trail and put in a couple of picnic tables.
The heavy visitation at Goosenecks might make it a tempting place for a little more development where a day-use fee could be charged. And that has been discussed.
"We're not doing much for people," said Tim Smith, southeastern region manager for Utah State Parks. "The restrooms and picnic tables are cleaned, but we don't do that much for folks to charge a fee."
Smith said that since Goblin Valley and Dead Horse Point feature scenic beauty and make a profit for the state, park leaders have thought about working with the Bureau of Land Management to expand the Goosenecks' campground and put in a rim trail. But water would have to be hauled in and, in an era of budget cuts and closures, the idea gets little if any discussion.
So, for now, Harlin Harrison takes care of the park.
"We need more shade, especially on the east side," he said. "Also, we need some new tables there. The tables are getting pretty old. They have been there ever since I started working in 1973. They don't look too good. But everything costs so much money."
And that lack of money, in the end, dictates that most of Utah's forgotten state parks will stay that way.
Twitter: @tribtomwharton
State park facilities you may not know
Danger Cave • Near Wendover. The cave that contains evidence of the earliest humans in Utah is managed by state parks but not classified as a park. No fees are collected. There are two interpretive signs near the cave entrance, which is closed with metal bars. No signs direct visitors to the spot.
Old Iron Town • 25 miles west of Cedar City. This facility consists of a beehive-shaped charcoal oven, rest rooms, a picnic area and a short nature trail. It is not a state park and there is no fee collection or operational budget. It is managed by Frontier Homestead State Park Museum.
Goosenecks State Park • Although designated as a state park, this primitive area 25 miles west of Bluff that features a 1,000-foot dropoff to the San Juan River below and views of a rare entrenched meander. The park has no fee collection and no operational budget. Facilities include a primitive campground, interpretive signs and rest rooms.
Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail State Park • This is a hiking, bicycling and cross-country ski trail between Park City and Coalville. It is managed by the Mountain Trails Foundation, which has placed donation boxes along the trail to pay for its upkeep.
Piute State Park • Near the town of Junction. This water-based park has a $1,000 annual operational budget. A $5 day-use fee and $10 camping fee are charged.
Gunlock State Park • Near St. George. This increasingly popular water park receives an $8,000 operational budget. It collects a $7 day-use fee and $13 camping fee.
Source: Utah State Parks
Tribune series: The issues facing Utah's state parks
July 3 • Utah's 43 state parks are reeling from budget cuts, which have slashed general funding from $12.2 million to $6.8 million in recent years.
July 3 • Rock Cliff Nature Center at Jordanelle State Park closed July 1 because of budget cuts. Additionally, 23 full-time state parks positions were eliminated.
July 11 • Edge of the Cedars Museum, the largest federal depository for artifacts in the Four Corners, is holding on, despite being listed second on the Legislature audit's list of facilities under consideration for closure.
July 12 • Camp Floyd/Stagecoach Inn State Park and Museum has gone from what was essentially a rest room stop into a money-generating venture.
July 17 • The Legislature recommended eliminating law enforcement positions in Utah State Parks. Rural law enforcement agencies fear the changes could leave them shorthanded in times of need. Agency officials worry about public safety in the parks because of the reductions. Also, an update on ranger Brody Young, who was shot nine times during a patrol in 2010.
July 19 • Utah owns five golf courses managed by state parks. One, Wasatch Mountain, makes money, but the rest lose money and Green River is in danger of closing.
July 25 • Budget cuts hit small staffs managing urban playground parks especially hard, as rangers are left trying to juggle ensuring visitor safety with park maintenance duties.
July 26 • Rounds of golf played at Soldier Hollow and Wasatch Mountain's camping, hiking, off-highway vehicle riding, cross country skiing, fishing, picnicking and snowmobiling make Wasatch Mountain the most-visited park in the state, with more than 360,000 visitors a year.
Aug. 2 • The gem of the state parks' system very well may be Antelope Island. With its diverse wildlife and great views, it attracts nature lovers from all around the world.
Aug. 2 • Small rural water recreation parks such as Huntington, Hyrum and Steinaker are among eight rural Utah State Parks that require close to a million dollars in taxpayer dollars each year. Are they worth it?
Aug. 8 • To many, closing or handing off management of some state parks is the most obvious answer to the state parks' budget woes. It has been done before, but with mixed results.
Aug. 8 • This is The Place annually receives money from the state parks system, but is run by a private foundation. Because it's such a hybrid, some say it shouldn't be a model sited in privatization discussions.
O See the stories on the Web.
> sltrib.com/topics/parks