1-1 Introduction 

KASHA-KATUWE TENT ROCKS NATIONAL MONUMENT 

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 

CHAPTER 1 

INTRODUCTION

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rio 

Puerco Field Office has prepared this Resource 

Management Plan (RMP) to address the management of public land within Kasha-Katuwe 

Tent Rocks National Monument and Planning 

Area in Sandoval County, New Mexico. The 

Approved RMP provides a framework for managing the public land within the Monument and 

Planning Area. Preparation of the RMP was 

guided by the BLM’s planning regulations (43 

Code of Federal Regulations 1600-1610), issued 

under the authority of the Federal Land Policy 

and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) and by 

the BLM Land Use Planning Handbook (BLM 

Handbook H-1601-1), and associated regulations. 

PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PLAN 

Presidential Proclamation 7394 (Appendix A) 

designated Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National 

Monument on January 17, 2001 to provide opportunities for visitors to observe, study, and 

experience the geologic processes and cultural 

and biological objects of interest found in the 

area, as well as to protect these resources. The 

Antiquities Act of 1906 authorizes the President, 

at his or her discretion, to declare national 

monuments by public proclamation; these are 

usually historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, or other objects of historic and 

scientific interest on lands owned and controlled 

by the U.S. Government. 

Before this area was proclaimed a national 

monument, the BLM had administratively designated it as an Area of Critical Environmental 

Concern (ACEC) through the Rio Puerco Resource Management Plan (USDI, BLM 1986, 

maintained and reprinted 1992). An ACEC is an 

area requiring special management attention to 

protect and prevent irreparable damage to important historic, cultural, or scenic values; fish 

and wildlife resources; or other natural systems 

or processes on the public lands. Since comparable formations are found only in the surrounding area of New Mexico and in Turkey, the Tent 

Rocks ACEC was designated to protect the volcanic formations that give the area its name. 

Through the Protection Plan for Tent Rocks 

ACEC (USDI, BLM 1987), the BLM developed 

management prescriptions to maintain the geologic, scenic, recreational, and natural components of the ACEC. Management emphasis for 

this area prior to monument designation was on 

interpreting its geologic and scenic values while 

allowing semi-primitive non-motorized recreation. To provide for more consistent, effective, 

and collaborative management of the Federal 

and Pueblo lands within and adjacent to the Tent 

Rocks ACEC, the BLM and the Pueblo de 

Cochiti entered into an Inter-Governmental Cooperative Agreement in 1997. This original 

agreement has been followed by several others 

promoting cooperation between the Pueblo and 

the BLM in managing the area. Management of 

the area that is now Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks 

National Monument as an ACEC helped to preserve the area for use and enjoyment by the public and educational institutions. 

Proclamation 7394 required that the Secretary of 

the Interior, through the BLM, prepare a management plan for the new Monument. This 

RMP meets that requirement and provides the 

framework for using and managing the Monument, a unit of the BLM’s National Landscape 

Conservation System (NLCS), for the next 15 to 

20 years. The BLM worked closely with the 

Pueblo de Cochiti in the development of this 

RMP which establishes the basis for continued 
Chapter 1 1-2

cooperation, as required by the Proclamation, as 

the RMP is implemented. 

Under the BLM’s current planning policy, a 

RMP must be prepared for the Monument separate from any other plan (a “stand-alone plan”). 

Policy also requires that the draft and proposed 

RMP be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA). The Proposed RMP/Final EIS published in October 2006 fulfilled this requirement. 

The EIS disclosed to the public and BLM managers the impacts likely to result from implementation of this RMP. With the signing of the 

Record of Decision adopting the Proposed RMP 

as the Approved RMP, compliance with NEPA 

is complete and only the Approved RMP is presented in this document. The decisions made 

through this RMP apply to (1) Federal lands 

administered by the BLM within the Monument; 

(2) inholdings identified in the Proclamation for 

acquisition, if and when they are acquired; (3) 

the Southwest Acquisition, recently acquired; 

and (4) the North Edgeholding, if and when it is 

acquired.

PLANNING AREA

Located in north-central New Mexico in the 

foothills of the Jemez Mountains on the southwestern edge of the Pajarito Plateau, KashaKatuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is in 

Sandoval County about 5 miles west of the Rio 

Grande (see Maps 1 and 2 in the map section). 

It lies about 35 miles southwest of Santa Fe and 

52 miles northeast of Albuquerque. Access to 

the area from these cities is by State Road (SR) 

16 or SR 22 from Interstate Highway 25 (I-25), 

then by Tribal Route 92 which connects to BLM 

Road 1011 (also referred to locally as Forest 

Service Road 266). Adjacent to the Monument 

are the Pueblo de Cochiti on the east and south; 

Santo Domingo Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo and the 

Santa Fe National Forest on the west; and State 

lands to the north. The Monument is located 

within New Mexico Congressional District 3. 

The Pueblo de Cochiti is the gateway community to the Monument. 

Within the Monument boundary are approximately 5,402 acres. The BLM manages 4,124 

surface acres and 4,565 acres of minerals, the 

State of New Mexico owns approximately 521 

acres (both surface and mineral), and the balance 

(approximately 757 surface acres and 316 acres 

of minerals) is privately owned (see Table 1-1 

and Map 3 in the map section). Within the 

15,635-acre Planning Area, the BLM manages 

5,089 surface acres (4,124 in the Monument and 

the 956-acre Southwest Acquisition), the State 

owns 9,789 acres, and 757 acres are privately 

owned. The BLM manages 5,530 acres of minerals (all) within the Planning Area and 9,268 

acres of minerals (gold, silver, and quicksilver 

only). The State of New Mexico owns 521 acres 

of minerals. There are 316 acres of private minerals (all) and 9,268 acres of private minerals 

(all minerals except gold, silver, and quicksilver). 

PLANNING PROCESS

The BLM planning process is designed to result 

in an RMP that provides a framework for managing the Monument and Planning Area. The 

RMP establishes areas for limited or restricted 

uses; allowable resource uses; resource condition objectives; program constraints; and general 

management direction. The BLM makes three 

primary levels of land use planning decisions: 

the RMP level, the activity level, and the sitespecific level. This stand-alone RMP for the 

Monument and Planning Area focuses mainly on 

broad resource objectives and direction, but also 

provides some activity-level guidance and sitespecific decisions. The KKTR RMP was developed using the nine basic steps of the BLM 

planning process, which are listed below. 

• Identification of issues 

• Development of planning criteria 

• Data and information collection 

• Analysis of the management situation 

• Formulation of alternatives 

• Estimation of effects of the alternatives 

• Selection of the preferred alternative(s) 

• Selection of the plan 

• Monitoring and evaluation 
1-3 Introduction 

TABLE 1-1 

OWNERSHIP OF THE MONUMENT AND PLANNING AREA 

Difference 

Area & Ownership a 

Legal 

Acres b

GIS 

Acres b

Number 

of Acres 

Percent of 

Legal Acres 

Monument

 Surface

 Federal 4,114 4,124 10 0.24

 State 521 521 0 0

 Private (Total) 760 757 -3 -0.40

 Minerals

 Federal 4,554 4,565 11 0.24

 State 521 521 0 0

 Private (Total) 320 316 -4 -1.27

 Monument Total 5,395 5,402 7 0.13

Planning Area

 Surface

 Federal 5,077 5,089 c 12 0.24

 State 9,909 9,789 a -120 -1.20

 Private 760 757 -3 -0.39

 Minerals

 Federal (all minerals) 5,517 5,530 13 .24

 (gold, silver & quicksilver only) 9,388 9,268 -120 -1.28

 State (all minerals) 521 521 0 0

 Private (all minerals) 320 316 -4 -1.27

 (all minerals except gold, silver & 

 quicksilver) 

 9,388 9,268 a -120 -1.28 

 Planning Area Total 15,746 15,635 -111 -.70

Notes: a

 During the preparation of this RMP, 9,268 acres of the Planning Area (surface only) changed from 

 private to State ownership. The State Land Office has informed the BLM that the minerals (except 

 gold, silver & quicksilver, which are in Federal ownership) remain in private ownership. This does not 

 change the BLM’s decision to pursue acquisition of this mineral ownership for the protection of resource 

 values similar to those of the Monument. b As the result of minor boundary discrepancies, the figures in Table 1-1 show some slight differences 

 between the recorded legal acreages for the Monument and Planning Area, and the acreages calculated 

 using the BLM’s Geographic Information System (GIS), which allows production of maps and analyses 

 based on computerized data. Because the acreage differences are small and the time and cost to adjust 

 them was uncertain, the BLM Planning Team elected to show the differences on this table while using the 

 GIS figures throughout the RMP. c Includes 4,124 acres within the Monument boundaries and the 965-acre Southwest Acquisition. 
Chapter 1 1-4

Each of the steps in the planning process is described in greater detail in the November 2005 

Draft RMP/EIS and October 2006 Proposed 

RMP/Final EIS. The attached Record of Decision represents the adoption of the Proposed 

RMP as the Plan to be implemented. Monitoring and evaluation of the resources and resource 

uses within Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National 

Monument and Planning Area will be ongoing 

throughout the life of the RMP as described in 

Chapters 2 and 3. 

Scoping/Issues Addressed 

Five issues were identified for the Planning Area 

associated with Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument during the scoping period; no 

other issues were raised. These were the issues 

addressed by the alternatives. Issues are considered the “drivers” of the land use planning process; that is, they are topics of conflict or controversy between resource uses and management to 

be resolved in the RMP. Because Presidential 

Proclamation 7394 sets limits on how the 

Monument is to be managed, and because the 

area is small compared to most other units 

within the National Landscape Conservation 

System, conflicts among resource uses to be resolved were few. However, the BLM addressed 

the following topics of concern in this RMP and 

refers to them as “issues.” The BLM has also 

addressed other basic environmental and management concerns to provide comprehensive 

management guidance for resources within the 

Monument and Planning Area, as well as to satisfy legal requirements. The following issues 

were addressed through alternative development, 

data collection, and impact analysis: 

• Issue 1 - Land tenure adjustment and how 

land ownership will be incorporated into the 

RMP for the Planning Area, including the 

Monument. 

Within the boundary of the Monument are 521 

acres of State land and 757 acres of private land. 

Other parcels of non-Federal land adjoin the 

boundary of the Monument. 

• Issue 2 - How access and transportation

will be managed in the Monument and Planning 

Area. 

The Proclamation directs that the BLM, through 

this management plan, consider road closures or 

travel restrictions to protect the objects of interest in the Monument. 

• Issue 3 - How recreational activities and 

visitor use will be managed. 

Recreational use of the Monument has been increasing over the past few years. The BLM has 

provided additional facilities and upgrades for 

visitor use and enjoyment, health and safety, and 

resource protection. 

• Issue 4 - How ecosystem restoration will 

benefit the public and the Planning Area, especially the Monument. 

Oneseed juniper trees are encroaching into the 

grasslands and shrublands of the Monument and 

Planning Area. The woodlands and forest stands 

are overstocked, need thinning, and are being 

affected by drought conditions and beetle attacks. 

• Issue 5 - How American Indian uses and 

traditional cultural practices will be incorporated into the management of the Planning Area, 

particularly the Monument. 

The Monument is adjacent to lands owned by 

several Indian pueblos and has special meaning 

to local American Indians. 

Issues Considered but Not Further Analyzed 

The comments on the Draft RMP/EIS raised 

four issues or concerns related to the reintroduction of wildlife species, the use of firearms and 

hunting in the Monument, dogs in the Monument, and aircraft over the Monument. All of 

the concerns raised in the comments were addressed. Two were not within the scope of BLM 

planning, while the others could be addressed 

administratively. 
1-5 Introduction 

The reintroduction of wildlife species is not 

within the scope of BLM planning since management of wildlife and hunting are under the 

jurisdiction of the New Mexico Department of 

Game and Fish. The BLM could cooperate 

through the improvement of habitat on Federal 

lands for reintroduced species. Likewise, because the nation’s airspace is managed by the 

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), aircraft 

over the Monument is not within the scope of 

BLM planning. The BLM will work with the 

FAA, the Department of Defense, and any other 

applicable agencies to ensure that authorized 

aviation activities affecting the Planning Area 

are done in a safe and appropriate manner, with 

minimal noise and other impacts on resource 

values, uses, and visitors’ experiences. The 

BLM will work with commercial air tour companies to determine if the tours are appropriate 

and, if so, under what conditions. Aircraft landings, except for administrative and emergency 

purposes (e.g., fire, law enforcement, search and 

rescue), will not be authorized. 

Shooting, hunting, and trapping are specifically 

prohibited at the BLM’s developed recreation 

sites in New Mexico. Currently, dogs must be 

on a leash no longer than 6 feet in the BLM’s 

developed recreation areas. 

Planning Criteria 

BLM planning regulations (43 CFR 1610) require that planning criteria be prepared to guide 

development of RMPs. These criteria ensure 

that BLM plans are tailored to the identified issues and that unnecessary data collection and 

analyses are avoided. Criteria are based on applicable law, agency guidance, public comments, and coordination with other Federal, 

State, local, and American Indian tribal governments. 

The planning criteria established to guide development of this RMP for Kasha-Katuwe Tent 

Rocks National Monument and Planning Area 

are listed below: 

• The Plan will be completed in compliance 

with FLPMA and all other applicable laws. 

It will meet the requirements of Presidential 

Proclamation 7394 (Appendix A) to protect 

the objects of geologic, cultural, and biological interest within the Monument. 

• The BLM Planning Team will work cooperatively with the Pueblo de Cochiti and 

other tribal governments, the State of New 

Mexico, county and municipal governments, 

other Federal agencies, and other interest 

groups, agencies, and individuals. 

• The Plan will establish the guidance upon 

which the BLM will rely in managing the 

Planning Area. 

• The Plan will be accompanied by an EIS 

based on NEPA standards. 

• The Plan will provide opportunities for visitors to study, observe, and experience the 

geologic processes as well as other cultural 

and biological objects of interest within the 

Planning Area. 

• Consistent with Proclamation 7394, the Plan 

will set forth a framework for managing recreational activities and experiences. 

• The Plan will recognize valid existing rights 

within the Monument and Planning Area. 

• Livestock grazing management is prescribed 

by laws and regulations; however, the Proclamation excludes livestock grazing from 

within the Monument unless it can be determined that grazing will advance the purposes of the Proclamation. [Through the 

RMP, the BLM has determined that grazing, 

used properly, may serve this function.] 

• The lifestyles of area residents will be recognized in the Plan. 

• The Plan will recognize the State of New 

Mexico’s responsibility and authority to 

manage wildlife, including hunting, within 

the Planning Area. 

• The acquisition of State and private inholdings within the Monument and adjacent nonFederal lands will be considered. 

• The Plan alternatives will address transportation, vehicular, and other types of access 

to the Planning Area. 

Legislative Constraints 

Numerous Federal laws, executive orders, and 

policies guide development of BLM RMPs. 

Key laws applicable to this planning effort and 
Chapter 1 1-6

the development of the planning criteria include 

the following: 

• National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 

as amended 

• Federal Land Policy and Management Act 

of 1976, as amended 

• American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 

1978, as amended 

• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 

• Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 

1979, as amended 

• Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 

• Clean Air Act of 1963, as amended 

• Clean Water Act of 1948, as amended 

• Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 

amended 

• Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, as 

amended 

• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, 

as amended 

• National Trails System Act of 1968, as 

amended 

• Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 

• Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended 

Relationship to BLM Policies, Plans, and 

Programs 

The BLM uses an ongoing planning process to 

ensure that land use plans and implementation 

decisions remain consistent with applicable 

laws, regulations, orders, and policies. The 

planning process thus far has involved public 

participation, assessment, and decision making. 

Approval of the RMP initiates a new phase of 

implementation, plan monitoring, and evaluation, as well as adjustment through plan maintenance, amendment, and revision. This process 

allows continuous adjustment to respond to new 

issues and changes in circumstances. The BLM 

makes decisions using the best information 

available; these decisions may be modified 

through the maintenance and amendment process as the BLM acquires new information and 

knowledge of new circumstances relevant to 

land and resource values, uses, and environmental concerns. Modifying land use plans 

through maintenance and amendment on a regular basis reduces the need for major revisions of 

land use plans. Changes in program emphasis 

and guidance may also require plan maintenance 

and amendment. 

Collaboration 

Intergovernmental, Inter-Agency, and 

Tribal Relationships 

The BLM coordinated with Federal, State, local, 

and tribal agencies in managing this area as an 

ACEC prior to designation as a national monument. This coordination continued during development of this RMP, and will continue as the 

RMP is implemented. The Pueblo de Cochiti 

has participated in the management of the area 

under Cooperative Management Agreements 

since 1997. As called for by the Proclamation, 

the BLM will continue to manage the Monument 

in close cooperation with the Pueblo de Cochiti 

to implement the purposes of the Proclamation. 

In addition, the Pueblo has been a cooperating 

agency in this planning effort. Consultation has 

been carried out with the Pueblo de Cochiti and 

nine other American Indian Pueblos and Tribes 

in compliance with BLM’s consultation policy. 

The BLM must consult with the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 before beginning any 

project that may affect any Federally listed special status plant or wildlife species or its habitat. 

Since this Plan is considered to be a major Federal action, the BLM initiated the informal consultation process. Letters documenting this consultation are contained in Appendix F. The 

BLM has made a “No Affect” determination for 

this RMP for all Federally listed species. 

Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the BLM must consider the effects 

of its actions on sites eligible for the National 

Register of Historic Places before a decision is 

made. In New Mexico, the BLM complies with 

Section 106 through a Protocol Agreement between the BLM and the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) signed in 

June 2004. The various planning documents 

were submitted to the SHPO with no response. 
1-7 Introduction 

Although the Pueblo de Cochiti was the only 

formal cooperating agency, and consultation was 

required legislatively only with the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service and New Mexico State Historic Preservation Officer, the BLM worked 

closely with many other agencies throughout the 

planning process. The New Mexico Governor’s 

Office and affiliated State agencies have been 

involved and provided input into the Draft 

RMP/EIS and the Proposed RMP/Final EIS. 

The Sandoval County Board of Commissioners 

has also been involved and kept up to date on 

the development of the RMP. 

Other Stakeholder Relationships 

Other stakeholders with widely varied interests 

have also been invited to participate collaboratively in the planning process. The various 

documents or notifications of online availability 

were sent to 12 businesses and 57 interest 

groups, as well as numerous individuals. Comments were received from several of these 

stakeholders. 

RELATED PLANS 

Relationship to BLM Plans 

The BLM makes three primary levels of land 

use planning decisions: the RMP level, the activity level, and the site-specific level. One 

RMP-level plan and two activity-level plans provided guidance for managing the Tent Rocks 

ACEC before its designation as Kasha-Katuwe 

Tent Rocks National Monument: the Rio 

Puerco Resource Management Plan (USDI, 

BLM 1986, maintained and reprinted 1992; as 

amended), the Final Protection Plan for Tent 

Rocks ACEC (USDI, BLM 1987), and the Albuquerque Field Office Fire Management Plan

(USDI, BLM 2004a). Decisions from these 

three land use documents have been incorporated into this RMP. This stand-alone RMP now 

replaces these other plans for lands within the 

Monument and Southwest Acquisition, as well 

as for lands that may be acquired within the 

Planning Area. 

Relationship to Other Agencies’ Plans 

BLM planning regulations require that RMPs be 

consistent with officially approved, resourcerelated plans of other Federal agencies, state and 

local governments, and American Indian tribes, 

so long as these plans are also consistent with 

the purposes, polices, and programs of the Federal laws and regulations applicable to public 

lands. This RMP is consistent with the following officially approved, resource-related plans of 

other Federal agencies, and local and tribal governments. 

• The Sandoval County Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (Sandoval County 2005), 

which applies to private lands within the 

Planning Area. 

• The Master Plan, Design Memorandum No. 

13—Cochiti Lake, Rio Grande, New Mexico

(U.S DOA, COE 1973). The U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque District, 

prepared this plan in 1973 in cooperation 

with the Pueblo de Cochiti. The lake lies a 

few miles east of the Monument (see Map 2 

in the map section). 

• The Santa Fe National Forest Plan (USDA, 

FS 1987), which applies to lands near the 

northern and western boundaries of the 

Planning Area. 

• The National Park Service’s Business Plan

for the nearby Bandelier National Monument (USDI, NPS 2001). 

POLICY CONSTRAINTS 

Presidential Proclamation 7394 designated Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument to 

protect the area’s special geologic and landscape 

values. The Proclamation also identified management requirements intended to protect the 

special resource values. These requirements 

have become part of the RMP decisions. In June 

2000, the BLM responded to growing concern 

over the loss of open space by creating the National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS). 

The NLCS brings into a single system some of 

the BLM’s premier specially designated areas. 

As a national monument, KKTR is a component 

of the NLCS. 
Chapter 1 1-8

OVERALL VISION 

Presidential Proclamation 7394 provides the vision for management of KKTR: Manage KashaKatuwe Tent Rocks National Monument to protect the resources that make the Monument “a 

remarkable outdoor laboratory, offering an opportunity to observe, study, and experience the 

geologic processes that shape natural landscapes, as well as other cultural and biological 

objects of interest” while allowing as many visitors as possible to enjoy these resources without 

degrading them. 

DECISIONS APPEALABLE AT 

RECORD OF DECISION SIGNING 

Some of the land use planning decisions made 

through this resource management plan became 

effective upon the signing of the Record of Decision. These are implementable decisions and 

require no further authorization requiring public 

involvement prior to their taking effect. Therefore, they may be appealed under the Department of the Interior’s appeal regulations (43 

CFR Part 4). Any party adversely affected by 

the decisions listed immediately below may appeal within 30 days of receipt of this decision in 

accordance with the provisions of 43 CFR Part 

4.4. Publication of the Notice of Availability for 

the ROD/RMP in the Federal Register will be 

considered the date of receipt of this decision. 

• Motorized and mechanized access for recreational visits to the Monument and Planning Area will be provided on 5.95 miles of 

road designated as “open” for public access. 

An additional 7.8 miles of road will have 

“limited” access for authorized administrative and emergency uses only. Resource 

protection will be provided by closing 11.5 

miles of existing roads (see Tables 2-1 and 

2-2 and Map 4 in the map pocket for designation of road segments). 

• The off-highway vehicle (OHV) designation 

for the entire Planning Area will be “OHV 

use limited to designated roads and trails” 

for motorized and mechanized modes of 

travel. 

• Under the Recreational Opportunity Spectrum classification, public motorized access 

is provided to approximately 1,987 Federal 

acres of the Planning Area. Limited motorized access for authorized administrative or 

emergency uses only is provided to another 

2,048 acres. Non-motorized access is available to approximately 1,054 Federal acres 

(see Map 7 in the map section). 

• Designated hiking and equestrian trails provide 8.13 miles of access to Federal lands 

(see Table 2-3 and Map 4 in the map pocket 

for trail segment designations). 

• Designate 0.7 mile of converted road to 

“Open” trail for pedestrian use. 

• Designate 0.9 mile of new trail “Open” for 

pedestrian and equestrian use. 

• The 5,402 acres designated by Presidential 

Proclamation 7394 as the National Monument will also continue to be designated as 

an Area of Critical Environmental Concern 

(ACEC). The Monument/ACEC will be 

managed for Proclamation and ACEC resource values. 

• The BLM will designate Federal lands within 

the Planning Area (including any acquired 

lands) as a Special Recreation Management 

Area (SRMA). Acquired lands will be operated under the rules at 43 CFR 8365 as they 

support the purposes of the Proclamation. 

• While recognizing valid existing rights, the 

BLM will consider the Planning Area to be a 

right-of-way exclusion area. Rights-of-way 

for uses that do not currently exist will not 

be considered except for those that would 

support Monument purposes. 

• Special geologic features will be protected 

on 167 acres of Federally owned Monument 

lands for visitor viewing and observation. 

• Visual Resource Management Classes II and 

III will be used to guide management actions 

on the public lands within the Planning Area. 
1-9 Introduction 

• In areas of intensive recreational use and 

along the existing primary vehicular route 

(BLM Road 1011) through the Monument, 

VRM Class III has been assigned to 1,202 

acres that encompass the immediate foreground (1⁄4 mile) surrounding the developed 

facilities (see Map 11 in the map section). 

On the Class III lands, only activities and 

structures that would attract attention but not 

dominate the view of the casual observer 

will be allowed. Any changes would borrow 

from the basic elements found in the natural 

features of the surrounding characteristic 

landscape. 

• VRM Class II has been assigned to the 

3,887 remaining acres of public lands, where 

the intent will be to retain the existing character of the landscape by keeping implementation actions from attracting attention. 

Tent Rock formations viewed from Upper Slot 

Canyon.