The Manti-La Sal National Forest covers more than 1.2 million acres of diverse landscape in central and southeastern Utah, from timbered alpine mountain peaks to the untamed Dark Canyon Wilderness Area. The forest is defined by three distinct districts: the La Sal District at Moab (La Sal Mountains), the La Sal District at Monticello (Abajo Mountains/Dark Canyon Wilderness Area), and the Manti Division (Wasatch Plateau). The national forest was originally established as the Manti Forest Reserve in 1903 and after a series of name changes was officially designated as Manti-La Sal National Forest in 1958. Ranger offices are located in Moab and Monticello.
With more than 1,600 miles of streams, 8,100 acres of lakes, and hundreds of miles of hiking, biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and off-road trails there are boundless opportunities to get out and explore Manti-La Sal National Forest. More than 5,000 archaeological sites have been discovered throughout the forest, where 85-percent of Utah’s coal is mined. The forest is named after a city in the Book of Mormon and the Spanish word for salt.
