Tony Grove & Mount Naomi Wilderness Inducted into Old-Growth Forest Network

A Tony Grove Meadow Courtesy USDA Forest Service Teresa Prendusi, Photographer

A Tony Grove Meadow
Courtesy USDA Forest Service Teresa Prendusi, Photographer

The Tony Grove Recreation Area and the Mount Naomi Wilderness are being inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network during a ceremony at the backcountry trailhead on Tony Grove Lake Road at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 27th, 2025. This honor will recognize the two areas in Logan Canyon for their beauty and biodiversity. [Rod Boam, Cache Valley Daily]

Boam, Rod, Tony Grove Recreation Area and Mount Naomi Wilderness to be nationally recognized, News, cachevalleydaily.com
https://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/tony-grove-recreation-area-and-mount-naomi-wilderness-to-be-nationally-recognized/article_97c2a805-1202-4f9c-9376-92bd35dc49c7.html

Old-Growth Forest Network

Tony Grove Lake, Bear River Range, Intermountain Region Viewing Area, USDA Forest Service, https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/regions/intermountain/TonyGrove/index.shtml

Miniature Elephanthead
Courtesy & Copyright Hilary Shughart, Photographer

Miniature Elephanthead
Courtesy & Copyright Hilary Shughart, Photographer

Tony Grove & Mount Naomi Wilderness Induction into the Old-Growth Forest Network, Sunday, July 27, 2025, 12:00 pm Backcountry Trailhead, Tony Grove Lake Road, Image Courtesy & © Mike Fish, Photographer

Tony Grove & Mount Naomi Wilderness Induction into the Old-Growth Forest Network, Sunday, July 27, 2025, 12:00 pm Backcountry Trailhead, Tony Grove Lake Road, Image Courtesy & © Mike Fish, Photographer

Mount Naomi Wilderness [from the Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest, USDA Forest Service]
Specific Area Information
Location: Northern Utah, northeast of Logan, Utah
USGS Quad: Naomi Peak, Tony Grove Peak and Mount Elmer
Difficulty: Moderate to severe with elevations rising to more than 9,900 feet.
Use: Frequent year round, especially on weekends and holidays.

About the Area
With spectacular alpine scenery, Mount Naomi Wilderness lies between the Logan River and the Utah-Idaho state line. It comprises approximately 44,523 acres. At 9,980 feet, Naomi Peak, near the eastern boundary, is the area’s highest point, although this mountainous country contains several other peaks towering above 9,000 feet. On the western side, there are many deep, scenic canyons.

Wildflowers carpet the large mountain meadows during summer blooms, and several flowers are unique to this region. You’ll find large populations of moose, elk, and deer, and beavers that are well established in several streams. The area is often used for hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, snow shoeing, and back country skiing.

Trails meander up the major canyons on the western side of the wilderness from trailheads near U.S. Highway 91. The trails join with others to link the area to U.S. Highway 89. Mount Naomi Wilderness has about 12 system trails totaling approximately 73 miles, including the Mount Naomi National Recreation Trail.

When traveling in the Mt. Naomi Wilderness Area, please adhere to the regulations below:

All campsites must be greater than 200 feet away from water sources, trails and other occupied campsites.
All litter must be carried out. Do not bury anything other than human waste, which should be buried 6″.
Horses may be tethered for no more than 1 hours within 200 feet of any water source.
Horses may not be tied to any tree for more than 1 hour and must be moved sooner if damage is occurring.
All feed and hay taken onto National Forest land must be tagged as “Certified Weed Free” by the county extension agent.
Campfires are prohibited where firewood supply is depleted, when fire building threatens wilderness qualities, or for public safety.
Groups entering the wilderness must be no larger than 10 people. Groups exceeding the size limit must separate into groups of 10 or less and remain at least 1/2 mile apart on trails and while camping.
Dogs are permitted; domestic stock is limited to 14 per party.
Maximum of 14 consecutive nights at an individual site.
For further information, please contact the Logan Ranger District at (435) 755-3620
or the Public Lands Information Center at (801) 466-6411.
Above extracted from: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/uinta-wasatch-cache/wilderness

Slopes of Mount Naomi, Courtesy Wikimedia, Andrey Zharkikh, Photographer, Licensed CC by 2.0

Slopes of Mount Naomi
Courtesy Wikimedia, Andrey Zharkikh, Photographer
Licensed CC by 2.0

Mount Naomi Wilderness, Wilderness Connect at the University of Montana, https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=378

Tony Grove Day Use, Recreation.gov, https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10119409

Jul 19, Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Tony Grove

Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Tony Grove:

Black-chinned Hummingbird Logan Canyon UT 07-13-2020
Courtesy & Copyright Chris Crook
Cache Valley Wild Bird Photo Contest 2021
One of the species that may be seen
Saturday July 19, 2025
Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Tony Grove.

 

Tony Grove, July 19
Meet: 7 am, Smith's 750 N Parking Lot, Birding with Bridgerland Audubon

Tony Grove, July 19
Meet: 7 am, Smith’s 750 N Parking Lot
Birding with Bridgerland Audubon

Meet at the southwest corner of the Smith’s Marketplace parking lot (750 N. Main Street) at 7 AM for carpooling to our destination. NOTE the EARLIER meeting time for the next few months.

Carpooling to this destination is strongly encouraged. The Tony Grove parking area charges a day use fee (about $15). National Park Passes are honored at this Forest Service site. The area is very popular and will fill up on Saturday mornings in July so please be on time. Drive about 20 miles up Logan Canyon on Route 89 and follow the signs to turn left on the Tony Grove Road to reach the lake. Continue another 7 miles up windy mountain overlooks to reach the parking area and the high alpine plunge basin lake. Be sure to pay the parking fee and/or display your pass before you leave your vehicle. Plan to meet up in the parking lot about 8 AM.

We will likely walk along the trail around the lake for about a mile. The trail does not change much in elevation, but footing can be a little uneven. Sturdy hiking boots are recommended. Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures, Common Ravens, Clark’s Nutcrackers, Stellar’s Jays and other raptors are all possible here in summer. We will likely see/hear several flycatcher species (Hammond’s, Dusky, Olive-sided, Western Wood-pewee) as well as colorful Western Tanagers, Mountain Bluebirds, multiple hummingbirds (Broad-tailed, Black-chinned, Calliope), Red-naped and Williamson’s Sapsuckers and several warbler and sparrow species among others.
Trip leader Dawn Holzer (dawnholzer80@gmail.com, 435-799-1991)

***** Future Events & Trip Reports *****

January 25 – First Dam and USU Water Lab
February 22 – Trapper Park and Logan River Icon Trail
March 22 – Wellsville Reservoir
April 12 – Sue’s Pond – Logan River Wetlands and Shorebird Playa
May 17 – Third Dam/Spring Hollow
June 21 – Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area
July 19 – Tony Grove
August 23 – Amalga Barrens
September 27 – Benson Marina and Railroad Trail
October 25 – King Nature Park and Green Canyon
November 22 – Hyrum Reservoir and State Park
December 6 – Lundstrom Park Trail

***** Background, Tony Grove *****

eBird:
Birdlist for Tony Grove: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L634364/bird-list
Recent Checklists for Tony Grove: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L634364/recent-checklists
Media Images for Tony Grove: https://media.ebird.org/catalog?regionCode=L634364

Signed waivers required for all participants. Complete form, print results and bring printed waiver to meeting point.

Jun 21, Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area

Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area:

Great Blue Heron Family Portrait
Courtesy & Copyright Darwin Thompson
Cache Valley Wild Bird Photo Contest 2021
One of the species that may be seen
Saturday June 21, 2025
Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area.

 

Jun 21, Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area

Jun 21, Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area

Trip Report:

Our good luck continued this month and the canal water flooding the road earlier in the week had receded completely by Saturday morning. Temperatures were blissfully cool in the 60’s. A large group of over 25 people turned out again to join Meg and Dawn in this open agricultural area to find about 37 species of birds. We had some human returnees including the Hyrum Senior Center, USU international students and new faces including several “summer citizens”. Mosquitos were not too prevalent. We walked about a mile north on the good dirt road to the Logan River. Some of the highlights were Wilson’s Snipe doing their winnowing flight displays, a pair of American Bitterns flying by, both Eastern and Western Kingbirds, a few lingering Great Blue Herons on nests at the rookery and songs of both the Common Yellowthroat and Sora along with quick glimpses of Marsh Wrens. A Savannah Sparrow also posed obligingly for pictures and entertained us with its buzzy song.
Dawn Holzer (dawnholzer80@gmail.com, 435-799-1991)

***** Future Events & Trip Reports *****

January 25 – First Dam and USU Water Lab
February 22 – Trapper Park and Logan River Icon Trail
March 22 – Wellsville Reservoir
April 12 – Sue’s Pond – Logan River Wetlands and Shorebird Playa
May 17 – Third Dam/Spring Hollow
June 21 – Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area
July 19 – Tony Grove
August 23 – Amalga Barrens
September 27 – Benson Marina and Railroad Trail
October 25 – King Nature Park and Green Canyon
November 22 – Hyrum Reservoir and State Park
December 6 – Lundstrom Park Trail

***** Background, Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area *****

eBird:
Birdlist for Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L621440/bird-list
Recent Checklists for Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L621440/recent-checklists
Media Images for Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area: https://media.ebird.org/catalog?regionCode=L621440

Signed waivers required for all participants. Complete form, print results and bring printed waiver to meeting point.