Summary of Final Free Form Comment: What Have We Missed?
The Mill Creek Survey attracted 394 respondents; 272 of these respondents added information in the final question: “What did we miss?”. Responses fell into 17 categories; some respondents discussed more than one category. Each of these categories and the responses received are summarized below.
Permits and Fees
80 responses
-Fees are necessary to maintain Mill Creek (toilets, trash collection, restoration and enforcement). Any fees collected should be expended in Mill Creek
-Locals should pay a lesser fee than do visitors
-Local should not have to pay any fee
-Fees are classist and lead to exclusion
Potato Salad Hill as Primary Access
50 responses
-Primary access to Powerdam should be moved to Potato Salad Hill
-Moving to PSH would increase traffic on Sand Flats Road and congestion at the booth
Infrastructure
50 responses
-Increased infrastructure would increase visitation
-Powerhouse Lane should not be paved
-Powerhouse Lane should be paved (4)
-A bridge over the creek could be warranted
-Opposition to infrastructure because it would diminish the backcountry nature of Mill Creek
Visitor Numbers
44 responses
-Access should be restricted to fewer numbers of people
Access Above Powerdam
40 responses
-Signage should direct tourists to Left Hand and keep Right Hand for locals
-Visitors should be deterred from visiting the Cowboy Jacuzzis and kept away from entering at Highland Drive
Locals
35 responses
-The survey is geared towards attracting more tourists (35)
-Locals will pay more in taxes to pay for management plans
-Some locals want number of visitors controlled, but do not want to lose their own free and unfettered access
Protection of wilderness
30 responses
-Need to protect wild and natural features
-Minimal infrastructure to allow a more primitive experience
Non-motorized Access only at Powerdam
25 responses
-Powerdam Lane should be open only to bikes and pedestrians
-Powerdam Lane should be open only to bikes and pedestrians seasonally
-Making Powerdam non-motorized only would reduce dust and speeding; it might also lessen visitation numbers
Parking
20 responses
-Expanding parking would increase visitation
-Restricting parking would result in people seeking out other access points such as Highland Drive and those from Sand Flats
-Overflow parking needs to be addressed
-A fee system could address parking
Enforcement
20 responses
-BLM rangers should enforce within the canyon (12)
-Local law enforcement need to patrol outside the canyon (3)
-Volunteer trail stewards could increase presence
-No dogs should be allowed in the canyon
-Dogs should be allowed in the canyon only on a leash
Trash and Toilets
10 responses [
-Need for trash collection at trailheads (especially Powerdam)
-Need for more education about trash and/or feces
-All trailheads should have toilets
-Powerdam should have a flush toilet
Cliffjumping
10 reponses
-Cliffjumping should be banned
-Cliffjumpers should pay for their own rescues
-Better signage should warn about cliffjumping’s dangers and the stress it puts on Search and Rescue
Trails: Powerdam and Above
9 responses
-Need better designation of trails and a reduction of social trails
-Trail design could reduce impacts and mitigate damage
The quantified survey responses are available on the Planning Process page of this website.