Recreation - Preserving Forebay

PRESERVING THE FOREBAY AREA

Work has started on a new parking area in Payson Canyon that will serve as a designated entrance into the Forebay Area, a large portion of land in the foothills south of Payson that is popular for hiking, mountain biking and other recreational activities.

In 2001, Payson City purchased the approximately 500 acres of land known as Forebay with the intent of protecting Payson’s watershed while preserving open space for wildlife habitat and local recreation. The property is located adjacent to the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest along the Mt. Nebo Scenic Byway and is also directly south of Gladstan Golf Course.

“It’s an area that really haasn’t been developed, and that’s one of the reasons why the city purchased it, to kind of keep it from getting developed,” said Payson City Manager David Tuckett.

Outdoor enthusiasts have used the area for years for hiking, horseback riding, biking and riding ATV’s. As a result, an unofficial network of trails, roads and paths has been created throughout the area. Some of these are in good condition and provide excellent access through Forebay, but others have caused erosion concerns and encouraged trespassing across and damage to private property and fire access roads.

A management plan for the Forebay Area was created in 2008 to help mitigate these issues while maintaining a natural area people can enjoy. That plan was updated in 2020 following extensive public input gathered through surveys, public open houses and a steering committee made up of city staff and elected leaders, local recreationalists and adjacent property owners.

The plan includes short- and longterm projects and tasks that will improve the recreational experience in the Forebay area such as identifying trailheads, creating signage and proposing potential new trails while still protecting the environment.

The Payson City Council passed a resolution in May of 2020 limiting motorized vehicles in Forebay. “There’s a lot of damage that’s happening with four-wheelers and other motorized vehicles, and so we’re trying to mitigate that,” Tuckett said.

The new parking area is being built as part of plans to create a few main access points into Forebay and encourage the public to use them. “It’s not to keep people out; it’s to control it a little bit, to help preserve it and make it so many people can use it,” Tuckett said. The lot will provide parking for an existing trail that will serve as the main access point on the Payson Canyon side of Forebay. Currently, people park on the side of the road, creating problems for canyon traffic.

A bridge will also be built over Peteetneet Creek near the parking lot, and future plans call for a restroom there. The parking lot is expected to be completed within a couple of months.

Payson City is working with Elk Ridge City to potentially provide a parking lot on that city’s side of the Forebay Area. Tuckett said he believes as trails are groomed and designated access points are created, the Forebay Area will become a more popular destination.

“We’re planning on making Forebay a recreation area, limit development and just have it be a nice area that’s close to home where people can enjoy it,” Tuckett said.