photography / Troy Boman The body of a dead calf lies on the side of a dirt road near Lone Rock in Skull Valley. Lone Rock, a popular recreation area where 10 cows were recently killed, also has problems with litter, reckless shooting and trail damage.

by Jamie Belnap

STAFF WRITER

The recent killing of several cows near Lone Rock in Skull Valley has shone a spotlight on other problems in the area.

Aside being a well-known geological feature in Skull Valley, Lone Rock also appears to be Tooele County's most popular shooting range -- with thousands of spent shells to prove it.

Bureau of Land Management officials say that while the number of gun shooters in the area isn't particularly a new development, other problems continue to elevate in seriousness as these and other recreationalists leave behind trash and pay no heed to signs alerting users of land-use stipulations.

"It is an area that has seen a lot of trash because people are irresponsible," said Teresa Rigby, spokeswoman for the Salt Lake Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management. "It has become an eyesore and it's disappointing that people wouldn't be better when they go out there."

And what's even more concerning, Rigby said, is the type of trash left behind.

"We have found computer monitors out there that people shot at," Rigby said, adding that the hazards associated with that type of electronic equipment left in pieces out in the open can be high. "I often see families out there playing, unaware of what they could potentially becoming exposed to. People should only shoot at targets that they can take home with them."

Rigby said policing the area is tough because of its openness, but rangers patrol it as frequently as they can.

"The public is responsible to understand what the law is and going out to public land and trashing it is certainly not the right thing to do," Rigby said. "Our rangers issue tickets in this vicinity often. It keeps them pretty busy."

Peak seasons for the area are during the spring or fall, when temperatures are a bit cooler.

"It's close to the urban center. It only takes an hour to get there from Salt Lake," Rigby said. "So, it's pretty accessible."

The BLM has taken steps in recent years to improve and police recreational areas in the county that have experienced problems due to large crowds and unregulated behavior. Both Knolls Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area and Little Sahara Recreation Area see such large crowds that both areas were required to up patrols to help with problems from accidents to public drunkenness to firearm violations.

In the wake of increasing problems, the BLM started requiring Knolls visitors to pay a $6-per-day-per-primary-vehicle fee during spring 2007 to help preserve the area, protect public health and enhance the safety of visitors. The fees not only helped control late-night parties with drugs and alcohol use, but also helped to upgrade the facilities, construct additional parking areas, informational bulletin boards, among other things.

Another area, Five Mile Pass Recreation Area, is swamped each weekend during the summer because of its abundance of trails and close proximity to both Utah and Salt Lake counties.

Rigby said the BLM tries to organize cleanup groups made up of volunteers and staff to pick up litter and repair damage, but because so many areas in the BLM's care require attention, Lone Rock, specifically, often gets bumped down the list because it doesn't see as large of crowds as the other areas.

"If someone is interested in helping to clean up the area they can certainly contact us," Rigby said.

jamieb@tooeletranscript.com