Why New Management at Marion Lake??

List of Impacts

• Although motor boats are no longer allowed on the lake, fishing continues to draw visitors who now often pack in rubber rafts.
• Excessive equipment often leads to unnecessary resource impacts.
• Garbage left alongside the trail, in fire rings, and throughout the wilderness is an easily observable issue.
• Human waste often goes unburied by visitors and pit toilets are filled with trash.
• Several areas are overused and continue to degrade due to concentrated high-use.
• Unattended and escaped campfires consistently require attention.

Management Techniques

1. A campfire ban began in March 2003.
2. Pit toilets may be removed in the future to prevent them from being used as garbage cans.
3. Education efforts will continue.
4. If the above techniques do not significantly change the impacts currently being seen at Marion Lake, the Forest Service may decide to identify designated campsites and/or require the packing out of human waste.

Historical Management

1916-1968 -- Prior to inclusion in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Area, actions were underway to create a well-developed recreation area along Marion Lake. This included summer homes, campgrounds, Forest Service guard stations, boat docks, and a boat house.

The stocking of fish at Marion Lake has been a common occurrence since the 1946. Enhanced fish populations drew crowds to the shores of the lake and further amenities aided fishermen in launching their boats in order to take advantage of its large size.

The fishing draw resulted in construction in facilities such as boat moorage managed by the Marion Lake Boat Owner’s Association and an excessive number of boats being left at the lake secured to trees.

During this time, garbage pits were developed for the high use areas with facilities. As they filled up, new pits were constructed resulting in resource impacts. Garbage in campsites was also an issue as evident by signs posted from that time. Old signs also reveal that escaped campfires were also an issue.

1968-1984 -- After wilderness designation in 1968, mandates were issued directing the Forest Service to remove improvements throughout wilderness, including Marion Lake. Improvements were destroyed and users were required to pack out what they brought in, including boats.
In an attempt to reduce the amount of human waste toilets were installed as early as the mid-70s. These toilets have been relocated on several occasions as they have become full of human waste and garbage causing further site impacts.

Practices continued. Users simply became more creative in their desire to continue bringing excessive amounts of supplies and boats. Garbage, human waste, impacted sites and abandoned fires continued to be a problem.

1985-2002 -- In 1985, the Forest banned wheeled devices in the wilderness. Visitors no longer were able to bring boats, large ice chests, and other large items by wheeled devices.
In 2000 two of the four toilets were relocated and two were removed from wilderness due to misuse by visitors and in an attempt to meet the intent of the Wilderness Act.

However, practices that produce significant undesirable impacts persist to date. Rubber rafts and excessive amounts of supplies, garbage, human waste, impacted sites, and abandoned fires all continue to be a problem. In addition to these issues, vandalism has occurred to the remaining toilets including destruction for use as firewood.

The Detroit Ranger District has also engaged in many education efforts to help wilderness visitors realize their role in wilderness management. These efforts have included field contacts, brochures and signage at trailheads.