OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) – Middle Fork Wildlife Management Area, once a clean, safe, and thriving campground, no longer exists.
On March 29, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources announced its decision to close overnight camping in part of the Middle Fork Wildlife Management Area.
Officials say this will take effect immediately.
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Your reasoning? Trash, vandalism, drug use, domestic violence and habitat degradation have polluted the campsite, creating a hostile and unsafe environment not only for campers but also for the wildlife in the area.
Although the Huntsville campground will remain closed, there are other campsites available in the WMA area. According to DWR officials, there are some dates here to consider when planning to camp in the Ogden Valley.
- To protect overwintering wildlife, the WMA is closed to all activities from January 1st to the second Saturday in April.
- You can still camp on parts of the WMA from the second Saturday in April through September 9th. However, overnight camping is no longer permitted in the parking lot or within half a mile of the parking lot.
- Overnight camping is permitted in the entire WMA, including the car park and its surroundings, from September 10 to December 31.
According to official sources, WMA was first introduced in Utah in the 1940s to protect the critical habitat for deer and other wildlife.
WMA also gives back to those who invest in it: by purchasing hunting and fishing licenses, many can hunt and fish in the state.
“The areas weren’t bought to give people a place to camp, but we’ve still allowed camping on many of them over the years,” said Scott Walker, DWR’s regional habitat manager. “However, problems with overnight camping in the parking lot of the Middle Fork WMA have become so bad that overnight camping is no longer permitted in this area from the second Saturday in April to September 9th.”
They are very familiar with the Middle Fork WMA, according to DWR Conservation Officers and Weber County’s Sheriff’s MPs. In 2020 alone, “the two agencies answered 75 calls from the parking lot, where most of the camping takes place.”
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“The sheer number of people camping in the area has also damaged the habitat around the parking lot and a small creek not far from it,” adds Walker.
While camping is now banned in the Middle Fork WMA, there are other campsites in the Ogden Valley.
According to DWR, one of the best spots is the North Fork campsite just outside Liberty.
“Although North Fork is used a lot, it’s a great campsite,” explains Walker. “Weber County officials have told us that campgrounds are almost always available.”
Other camping areas in the Ogden Valley include campsites at Pineview Reservoir and campsites operated by the US Forest Service on State Route 39.
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