Monticello Blanding area recommendations and advice

[6.7traveler]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but.... my wife and are escaping the endless rain of south central Alaska next month. (Can't beat the sunny days up there but they are so few and far between). We really love the southwest in general and have lived in Colorado and northern Arizona a few different times. However both are getting a bit crowded for our tastes especially coming from Alaska. She has a decent job offer in blanding and it has us fairly intrigued. I have never been to Utah before but have been to the four corners area. We are basically looking for some affordable land 30 mins outside of town that has open spaces and low crime. My main concern is that we are not lds. I have nothing against those who are I just don't want to be discriminated against and have heard in that some small towns in Utah this can be a problem. You could describe us as self reliant rugged hippies.... is this a good place for us?

[Mike David]

We recently stayed at an Airbnb in Blanding that was clean. However, I learned that the owners did not support the creation of the Bears Ears Monument. In fact, they have, along with many people in the Town of Blanding, a decal on their truck (picture below) that reads “#NO MONUMENT”. Nothing personal against the owners, they are nice people! But I cannot spend my money at a place where the owners actively opposed the Bears Ears Monument. Protection of ancient archaeological sites is important to me. I will be spending my money in the Town of Bluff, where they support the Monument.

MD

[509]

Originally Posted by Mike David

We recently stayed at an Airbnb in Blanding that was clean. However, I learned that the owners did not support the creation of the Bears Ears Monument. In fact, they have, along with many people in the Town of Blanding, a decal on their truck (picture below) that reads “#NO MONUMENT”. Nothing personal against the owners, they are nice people! But I cannot spend my money at a place where the owners actively opposed the Bears Ears Monument. Protection of ancient archaeological sites is important to me. I will be spending my money in the Town of Bluff, where they support the Monument.

MD

Just to make you feel better.....the laws pertaining to ancient archaeological sites do not change with National Monument status.

IF anything, the National Monument status drew attention to those sites and their explotation by clueless visitors.

IF you really concerned, support increased funding for BLM and FS. That is much more important than National Monument status.

BUT BOTH Blanding and Bluff are really cool towns in very different ways. Does miss out on Blanding just because you don't like one persons opinion on the National Monument.

[f5fstop]

Different national monument status. If it is run by the NPS then it is a lot more restrictive than if run by the BLM.

And 509 is correct. Designate it a National monument and the site will be destroyed in 10 years, cause neither governing authority will be able to protect all the areas with their limited budgets.

As for Blanding or Monticello? I'd take Blanding. I lived in Moab for 7 years and could never stand Monticello and on occasion, my job took me to both cities.

[markg91359]

Originally Posted by 509

Just to make you feel better.....the laws pertaining to ancient archaeological sites do not change with National Monument status.

IF anything, the National Monument status drew attention to those sites and their explotation by clueless visitors.

IF you really concerned, support increased funding for BLM and FS. That is much more important than National Monument status.

BUT BOTH Blanding and Bluff are really cool towns in very different ways. Does miss out on Blanding just because you don't like one persons opinion on the National Monument.

Originally Posted by f5fstop

Different national monument status. If it is run by the NPS then it is a lot more restrictive than if run by the BLM.

And 509 is correct. Designate it a National monument and the site will be destroyed in 10 years, cause neither governing authority will be able to protect all the areas with their limited budgets.

As for Blanding or Monticello? I'd take Blanding. I lived in Moab for 7 years and could never stand Monticello and on occasion, my job took me to both cities.

My principal concern is not whether the BLM or the NPS runs Bears Ears National Monument. My concern is the arbitrary reduction in size of the monument that took place. The area of BENM was reduced to just 15% of the land originally designated by the Obama Administration.

I've lived in Utah long enough to know that the small population that lives in most of southern Utah is out of touch with the way the rest of the country thinks. The rest of the country is seeing the unique character of these lands and wants to preserve them. The Navaho and other Indians in the area see the need for monument status to protect the Indian ruins and burial sites. The non-Indian population in San Juan County and surrounding areas has surprisingly little interest in the tourist potential that exists. The prevailing mentality thinks in terms of development of oil and energy resources. There is little acceptance of the fact that these lands belong to the United States rather than to the state of Utah.

My sincere hope is when we do have a new administration in office that one of the first acts will be to sign an executive order restoring the lands removed from BENM back to the monument.

[kletter1mann]

Google "San Juan county politics" or "blanding atv protest" and go from there. Google "Phil Lyman" too. The true nature of the region will then be revealed. Then decide if these values and politics align with your own. You couldn't pay me enough to live there, but that's just me.