Category Archives: Manti-La Sal National Forest

MPNHA Photo Contest. MPNHA Photo Contest. Camera facing mountains.
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MPNHA Photo Contest – $25 Prize

We know that you have some amazing photos, and now it’s time to share them! The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area is hosting a photo contest. It’s time to dust off the camera, phone, whichever you use to capture special moments and share some great pictures. You probably have some on your hard drive somewhere too!

To enter, users must upload their images to the MPNHA Facebook Page and submit a form (below) for each image that they enter into the contest.

Rules:

  • All photos must be be property of the entrant and an original work. If you are submitting for someone else, permission must be obtained before uploading the image.
  • All photos must be taken inside the boundaries of the MPNHA.
  • Photo enhancements are allowed.
  • The entry can be used on the MPNHA’s social media channels, website, etc. and will be credited to the entrant.
  • If people are included in the image, a release is required for entry.
  • All entrants must submit a short entry form in addition to uploading the image onto the MPNHA Facebook page.
  • The final date to enter is July 21, 2017 at midnight, mountain time.
  • The winner of the contest and $25 gift card to a retailer of their choice will be selected by the number of likes on their image. Ask your friends to vote for your image! In the event of a tie, the images with the same number of likes (loves, etc.) will be assigned a random number and then picked at random. The winner will be chosen and contacted on July 31, 2017.
  • There is no age limit to participants (under 13 years of age must have parental permission) or limit to the number of images that are allowed, as long as every image has been submitted into the form below.
  • Voting starts when you upload your image, so enter earlier for your best chance.
  • Those who work for the MPNHA are not eligible to enter/win.
  • Have fun.

MPNHA Receives Grant from National Park Foundation and Polaris to Expand Recreational Opportunities

 MPNHA Press Release - Polaris- National Park Foundation Grant

 

 

NPS Grant to MPNHA

County a Hit With Tourism Experts, ‘FAM’ Tour Big Success

DATE 02/21/2006 7:15 AMFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

County a Hit With Tourism Experts, ‘FAM’ Tour Big Success

County a Hit With Tourism Experts ‘FAM’ Tour Big Success

How do some Utah tourism experts who visited Sanpete County recently describe the region? Let’s count the ways:

“The perfect year-round playground.”

“A very enjoyable mixture of incredible scenic beauty, exciting outdoor activities, interesting pioneer heritage experiences.”

“So many things going for it as a tourism destination, it’s hard to keep track.”

“What a beautiful area! It’s unbelievable to me that Sanpete County isn’t more popular with local (Utah) tourists.”

These are just a sampling of some of the comments made by participants of the June 16 “FAM” tour sponsored by the Utah Office of Tourism. The event was intended to “familiarize” media and tour operators with some of Sanpete County’s “hot spots,” including the restored Moroni Opera House, Maple Canyon, the La-Sal National Forest, Ephraim, Manti and the Manti LDS temple, Mt. Pleasant and Fairview. Along the way, participants also heard about the county’s other cities, towns and attractions.

The purpose of “FAM” tours is to show travel agents, tour operators and media from various markets what the region has to offer in hopes of generating positive publicity about Utah’s world-class destinations, according to Tracie Cayford from the tourism office. If the comments received following the tour are any indication, the Sanpete County event was a smashing success.

“The climbing in Maple canyon is superb, and is a good alternative to sites a little closer to Salt Lake City,” said participant Austin Booth, who also remarked on the area’s beauty and commented that he couldn’t believe more tourist’s don’t flock to the region.

“From a historical perspective, the area is also great. I learned a lot about early Mormon settlement of Utah that I’d certainly never thought about before,” Booth said, adding he’d “highly recommended” it as a destination.”

Fellow tour participant Clayton Scrivner said he was impressed by how accessible the region is. “We were in Moroni 1 hour and 25 minutes after leaving the Salt Lake Valley.” He added the county has numerous “gifts” for visitors, including heritage and recreational sites. “Maple Canyon, the Wasatch Plateau, and all the great towns and their individual destinations… And don’t get me started on that temple, so majestic. I am sold on Sanpete.”

Chad Davis, another tour participant, also remarked on the region’s accessibility and uniqueness. “From Sanpete you can glance over the horizon and see the Wasatch Range in the distance, but it’s a world away from the Wasatch Front. Quaint pioneer villages, small town charm and outdoor recreation make it the perfect year-round playground.”

Next year, the state tourism office will be adding even more FAMS, promoting Utah’s national and state parks, ski resorts, cultural and heritage tourism areas, including other heritage attractions along U.S. Highway 89.

# # #

For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Plans for Equestrian Center Unfolding

DATE 02/10/2006 7:15 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Plans for Equestrian Center Unfolding
Mt. Pleasant Main Street Committee, in coordination with Sanpete County Economic Development and Kevin Christensen, director of the county’s Travel and Heritage Council, has unfolded plans for the development of an equestrian center that will serve all of the county.

The proposal, which was presented by the equestrian center committee at a Mt. Pleasant Main Street Committee this week, will be presented to the Mt. Pleasant Redevelopment Agency (RDA) Board on Tuesday, Feb. 14 2006.

“The centre will be a great asset for Mt. Pleasant City and Sanpete County,” Christensen said. “It has the potential to bring hundreds of visitors to various events sponsored by the community and to local clubs. The new complex will also provide stall space for lease. Riders will have the ability to escape cold weather during the winter, and during the summer months, they can head to the nearby mountain trails and experience the beauty of the Manti-La Sal National Forest.”

The equestrian center will be located on 55 acres of land on the north side of the Mt. Pleasant industrial park. Plans call for an indoor arena, two outdoor arenas, covered stalls, trailer parking, RV parking, a multi-purpose building with showers, a play area, tent area, and, possibly, a swimming pool. The adjacent airport, which focuses on recreational flying, will add another important dimension for tourism plan.

“This project, which will be developed in phases, will make an outstanding contribution to the economy of Mt. Pleasant and Sanpete County,” says Monte Bona, a member of the Main Street committee and Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council. The center’s development is part of an ongoing campaign by the heritage council to promote outdoor recreation throughout the region.

“Horse enthusiasts along the Wasatch Front need a place where they can participate in arena activities, as well as take advantage of the outstanding horse trails in a beautiful mountain terrain. Local trainers, clubs, schools and horse owners will be proud to host activities and invite fellow enthusiasts to visit the equestrian center in the Sanpete Valley.”

Bona says the Sanpete County region currently has more horses than it did back in the days when the animals were the main source of transportation, and horse enthusiasts are looking to construct a facility that would let them exercise, train and hold horse-related events and activities year round. In addition to horse enthusiasts and local business owners, Bona adds that all of the county could see direct and indirect effects from an indoor arena.

Benefits would range from bringing more tourists into the region to filling up hotels and motels, to expanding educational offerings for people inside and outside the community.

“We are continually looking for new opportunities that will allow Sanpete County to promote its many historical and recreational offerings,” Bona says. “This facility would complement the many other attractions we currently have.”

The center will also tie into a equestrian program at Mt. Pleasant’s Wasatch Academy. The Century-old private boarding school will be a major player in the project. Vern Fisher, Wasatch Academy’s director of development, is coordinating the Center for the school. “This is a wonderful opportunity for Wasatch and for the communities of Sanpete County,” he says, adding that the school’s growing equestrian program will link with the Center. Betsy and Pat Page, who direct Wasatch’s equestrian program, will also serve on the center committee with Fisher.

Kevin Stallings, who is heading the center committee, praised the effort and the expertise each of the committee members brings to the project. Other committee members are: Jared Nicholson, Ernie Booth, Dean Daniels, Juanita and Keith Ranch, Wanda Terry and Robert Olson.

Architect George Olson, who is located in Mt. Pleasant’s old caboose in the Railroad Depot Heritage Village, has prepared the design work on a volunteer basis. He has designed many other major recreational projects and will be crucial to the Center’s development.

# # #
For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Secret’s Out: Sanpete County’s Outdoor Opportunities Are Second to None

DATE 12/22/2005 1:54 PMFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Secret’s Out: Sanpete County’s Outdoor Opportunities Are Second to None

The secret it out: when the weather outside starts getting frightful, there is one thing that is sure to be delightful: outdoor recreation in Sanpete County.

“More and more people are definitely discovering how wonderful winter time is in Sanpete County,” says Monte Bona, a member of the Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council.

The fantastic snowmobiling routes, friendly people and outdoor sports opportunities are among the reasons that the county has been dubbed the “best outdoor recreation experience” in Utah. And the combination of fresh snow and access to fabulous routes keep people coming back year after year, local sporting enthusiasts say.

For starters, there is Skyline Drive, one of the state’s most beautiful scenic drives. Situated on the top of the Wasatch Plateau it gets an abundance of snow, it is slowly being recognized as one of the state’s best snowmobiling areas. The drive is 87 miles long and located above the 10,000-foot elevations means it offers some spectacular views.

Fairview Canyon, which is maintained during the winter months, is a popular an snowmobiling access point for The Energy Loop: Huntington and Eccles Canyons Scenic Byway. The loop, which splits off to either Scofield or Huntington, is also known as one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the country.

The Division of Parks and Recreation also grooms about 80 miles of access trails to the plateau out of Ephraim and Manti. It makes it convenient for the snowmobilers or cross country skiers is the access to nearby towns — Fairview, Mt. Pleasant, Moroni, Spring City, Ephraim and Manti.

Then there is the redesign of the Arapeen trail system. The routes, found primarily in the Manti LaSal National Forest, have been carefully marked and mapped to ensure that riders find their way around the 370 miles that make up the trail system. The redesign was several years in the making and includes bridges, culverts and water bars. In fact, the forest holds some of the state’s largest elk and deer herds.

One of the newest winter activities is snowboarding. Economic development officials say the snowmobiling and snow boarding are huge benefits for the county, contributing by means of people eating in local restaurants, staying in hotels and bed and breakfasts and visiting stores and shops. County officials are hoping to build on the reputation for excellent winter sports venues by getting visitors to spend more time in the local cities and towns visiting local attractions.

When the snow melts and the cold weather subsides, Sanpete County is still a popular spot for outdoor sports. For starters, the back country roads are open to vehicles, ATVs and bike riders. Rock climbing is also a big draw in the summer months with the county’s rugged cliffs that draw rock climbers from all over the country. In particular, Maple Canyon, located west of Moroni, offers climbers more than 80 established routes.

Fishing, horseback riding and camping are all other popular warm-weather sports.

# # #

For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Fall Brings Rainbow of Color to Sanpete County, U.S. Highway 89

DATE 09/24/2005 9:12 AMFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Fall Brings Rainbow of Color to Sanpete County, U.S. Highway 89

Fall has arrived and the canyons, parks, forests and landscapes in Sanpete County and along historical U.S. Highway 89 are awash in color. There are vivid shades of orange, red, and gold, making the area a must-see for anyone wanting to tour the state’s seasonal, sensational sites.

In Sanpete County, be sure to drive along Skyline Drive, which is known as a bird watcher’s paradise with eagle and hawks circling overhead, and through the Manti La-Sal National Forest. The forest, in addition to boasting a spectacular display of color, offers mountain climbing and hiking trails. The Wasatch Plateau section of the Manti-La Sal Forest also contains a variety of recreation trails for foot, horse, and/or mountain biking.

As well, the northern, Manti-La Sal division offers scenic drives through the Huntington and Eccles Canyons National Scenic Byways known as the Energy Loop. These byways wind over the Wasatch Plateau, and there are several high elevation lakes and streams that feature excellent fishing and camping, and the Arapeen Trail System is also a popular spot.

In addition to viewing the amazing fall colors, tourists can take in the cities and towns along historical U.S. Highway 89, visiting antique shops, gift stores, bed and breakfast inns, historic sites, local history and culture, and more.

# # #

For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

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