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FILLMORE, Utah – The Bureau of Land Management expects an influx of approximately 20,000 visitors to the Little Sahara Recreation Area during Easter Weekend. To prepare for this high-volume weekend, staffing is increasing, and tools and technology are being implemented to better serve the public.  

“The BLM is continually looking for new ways to improve our ability to respond to emergencies, protect public health and safety, and serve the public,” said BLM West Desert District Manager Michael Gates. “We are grateful for our continued partnerships, opportunities to use the advancement of technology to support emergency response, and the new building construction that prioritizes public service.”

Due to a large influx of visitors, the BLM, Juab County Sherriff’s Office, Juab County Emergency Medical Services, Juab Search and Rescue, Utah Highway Patrol, Utah State Parks, and University of Utah AirMed staff will be onsite.

New for 2022 is a recently purchased sand car, which will improve BLM emergency responsiveness and efficiency within the recreation area for search and rescue, transport of injured persons, and =law enforcement patrol. The backboard used by BLM responders is a custom build that was designed specifically to transport injured people off the sand dunes at Little Sahara Recreation Area.

In Fall 2022, the BLM will open a new visitor center that boasts improved energy efficiencies, easier pay systems, improved Wi-Fi capabilities, and a small conference room for educational events. The 44-year-old current visitor center is open for customers until the new visitor center construction is complete.

“The public should be prepared for long wait times to access the recreation area,” said BLM Fillmore Field Manager Cindy Ledbetter. “We encourage the public to purchase their passes ahead of time through Recreation.gov so they can bypass the fee booth and enjoy America’s public lands faster.”

Passes can be purchased on Recreation.gov at https://go.usa.gov/xz7mc, through the Recreation.gov app, or by calling the national reservation hotline at 1-877-444-6777. Passes should be printed and displayed on the vehicle dashboard. Visitors who purchase annual passes on Recreation.gov must present the QR Code at the visitor center, BLM Fillmore Field Office, or BLM Salt Lake Field Office to get a vehicle sticker. The QR Code can also be printed and placed in the vehicle dashboard and is valid until a sticker is obtained. Vehicles displaying the current annual pass or pre-purchased one-night permit fee passes will be directed past the fee booth and into the recreation area.

Visitors are encouraged to keep the following information in mind:

• The visitor center will extend its operating hours through the holiday weekend to: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. on Friday, April 15, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 16, and 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 17.
• The one-night permit fee is $18 per vehicle. This fee includes use of the area for two days and one night. Discounts are available for persons with disabilities and seniors. Active-duty visitors should provide documentation to staff at the visitor center for free access.
• The annual pass is $120 and can be purchased online or in-person at the visitor center, BLM Fillmore Field Office, and BLM Salt Lake Field Office.
• Guest Wi-Fi, called LittleSaharaGuest, is available in the visitor center parking lot for purchasing passes online.
• The recreation area provides four campgrounds for a total of 255 improved campsites with access to potable water, flush and vault toilets, as well as RV dump stations. Dispersed camping is available outside of the campgrounds.
• All visitors to Sand Mountain are required to park 20 feet away from paved roads.
• Large bonfires and wooden pallets are not permitted at Little Sahara Recreation Area.
• Safety flags are required for all off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and utility-terrain vehicles (UTVs). Flags will be available for sale at the visitor center and on vendor’s row.
• Children under 8 years of age are not allowed to operate any OHV/UTV on public lands, roads, or trails in Utah. Children ages 8 - 15 may operate an OHV/UTV if they possess an education certificate issued by Utah State Parks or the equivalent certification from their home state.
• Individuals 16 years or older may operate an OHV/UTV if they possess either a valid driver’s license or an approved OHV education certificate.
• Building tunnels and deep pits in the sand is dangerous and prohibited.

Little Sahara Recreation Area is located in Juab County and includes 60,000 acres of BLM-managed public land encompassing sagebrush flats, juniper-covered hills and free-moving sand dunes. The area provides premier OHV recreation opportunities and is known as “Utah’s Largest Sandbox.” Learn more at: https://go.usa.gov/xuqk2.