Palomar Ranger District: Recreation allocation study
| Authors: | Abigail Fuesler, William L. Rice, Chris A. Armatas, Kelsey E. Phillips, Phoebe Omolara |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Type: | Miscellaneous |
| Station: | Rocky Mountain Research Station |
| Source: | Technical Report. Missoula, MT: University of Montana, Wildland and Recreation Management Research Laboratory. 18 p. |
Abstract
Rising visitation to the Cleveland National Forest (CNF) has led the Forest Service to adopt the 2022 San Diego River Watershed Visitor Use Management Plan to balance recreation, resource protection, and visitor safety. High-use sites such as Three Sisters Falls and Cedar Creek Falls are priorities due to their urban proximity, wildfire potential, limited parking, quantity of Search and Rescue efforts, and status as two of the only accessible waterfalls in the county. Challenges include safety, crowding, and ecological impacts. Current strategies involve education, infrastructure, permits, and enforcement. In 2025, the USFS Washington Office, Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, and University of Montana’s Wildland and Recreation Management Lab completed an allocation study to inform management decisions.