Fishlake National Forest

Fishlake National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in south central Utah. The namesake for the forest is Fish Lake, the largest freshwater mountain lake in the state.[5]

Fishlake National Forest
Fishlake National Forest
LocationBeaver, Garfield, Iron, Juab, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, and Wayne counties, Utah, USA
Nearest cityRichfield, UT
Coordinates38°42′30″N 111°57′33″W[1]
Area1,461,226 acres (5,913.37 km2)[2]
EstablishedJuly 1, 1908[3]
Visitors500,000 (in 2006[4])
Governing bodyU.S. Forest Service
WebsiteFishlake National Forest

Wildlife

Animals that inhabit this forest are elk, shrews, deer, black bears, grizzly bears, coyotes, various species of bats, moose, raccoons, two species of skunks, badgers, turkey vultures, two species of eagles, pika, snowshoe hares, various species of woodpeckers, pine marten, porcupines, four species of hummingbirds, beavers, kestrels, pronghorn, various species of owls, bobcats, minks, three species of fox, cougars, mountain lions, bighorn sheep, wild turkeys, and mountain goats.

Geography

Established in 1908 from the merging of Fish Lake National Forest and Glenwood National Forest, the forest covers 1.5 million acres (6,070 km²) and is split into four districts. The forest lies in parts of nine counties. In descending order of forestland area, they are Sevier, Millard, Piute, Beaver, Wayne, Juab, Garfield, Iron, and Sanpete counties. Forest headquarters are located in Richfield with local ranger district offices in Beaver, Fillmore, Loa, and Richfield.[6] The national forest is the headwaters of Otter Creek, a tributary of the East Fork Sevier River.

Pando, a clonal quaking aspen stand, that, according to some sources, is the oldest (80,000 years) and largest (106 acres, 13 million pounds) organism on Earth, is located in the Fremont River Ranger District of the National Forest, 1 mile southwest of Fish Lake on Utah route 25.[7]

Acquisition

Native water rights to Fish Lake were sold to the Fremont Irrigation Company on March 10, 1889 for nine horses, 500 pounds of flour, one steer, and a suit of clothes. Ten years later President William McKinley created a Forest Reserve which included Fish Lake.[8]

Fishlake National Forest map
  • Quitchupah Canyon
  • State Route 72 in Fishlake National Forest
  • Fish Lake
  • Map of Fishlake National Forest in Millard County

See also

References
  1. "Fishlake National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  2. "Land Areas of the National Forest System" (PDF). U.S. Forest Service. January 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  3. "The National Forests of the United States" (PDF). ForestHistory.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 12, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  4. Staff (April 2010). "Utah Forest Highway Long Range Transportation Plan" (PDF). Central Federal Lands Highway Division. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 September 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  5. "About Us" - Fishlake National Forest
  6. USFS Ranger Districts by State
  7. "Pando". USDA Forest Service. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  8. "History of the Fishlake National Forest". USDA Forest Service web site. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
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