HELP SAVE UTAH’S TAYLOR FLAT AIRSTRIP
The Bureau of Land Management opened a 30-day period to receive public input on a proposal to re-open 2,500 feet of the dirt Taylor Flat Airstrip. The comment period ends April 3, 2025 .
The airstrip lies outside the Green River Wild and Scenic River corridor and the right-of-way would allow public aviation use for 30 years with a renewal option.
RAF Utah Liaison and Utah Back Country Pilots (UBCP) Board Member Wendy Lessig said, “Taylor Flat offers superior recreational opportunities that rival the Idaho and Montana backcountry airstrips, and is worth saving for several reasons. It offers camping under the dark Utah sky in a wilderness-type setting. It’s a quarter-mile walk to the Green River for catch and release fishing in a wild and scenic river that is incredibly difficult to get to, except by air.”
The BLM is obligated to conduct an Environmental Assessment. Public comments should cover all points for why this airstrip is beneficial to the public and the environment, potential resource issues, and alternatives. It’s likely there will be comments opposing this proposal. Please use these talking points and submit substantive comments in your own words here before April 3, 2025. Once you click the link, select the green “Participate Now” section on the left to enter your comment. Please be patient while the Participate Now link loads.
- Resources : Taylor Flat is a previously established but abandoned airstrip, on previously disturbed ground. No new construction or alteration of this primitive airstrip is needed.
- Historical/Cultural Resources : Takeoffs, landings, and dispersed use will not create any new impact to cultural and historical artifacts.
- Alternatives : Dutch John Airport (33U) is only a 7 minute flight (an hour by ground) from Taylor Flat, but has no access to the Green River without ground transportation. No other Utah airstrip in Utah offers catch-and-release fishing in the Green River a short hike from the airstrip.
- Airstrip Maintenance : Volunteer pilot organizations have committed to maintaining Utah’s backcountry airstrips, at no cost to the BLM or taxpayers.
- Impacts to wildlife and water resources : Surface and groundwater, and fisheries are not affected by this airstrip. Pilots may access the airstrip for hunting season. Bird strikes by small aircraft are incredibly rare, even in migratory bird corridors. The portion of the airstrip under consideration is purposely outside of the environmentally sensitive area and the Green River wild and scenic river corridor.
- Noise impacts : Noise from aircraft is short-term and transient. There is scientific evidence that recreational aircraft do not adversely impact wildlife.
- Visual Impact : Taylor Flat Airstrip is not conspicuous due to natural vegetation surrounding the airstrip.
- Cumulative Impacts : Taylor Flat Airstrip will provide for dispersed, primitive camping, and will relieve use on nearby campgrounds. Visitors may access nearby Jarvie Historical site.
- BLM Consultation : BLM should consider UBCP and RAF input as they advance decisionmaking on Taylor Flat Airstrip. These pilot groups have a wealth of knowledge and can help the BLM retain compatibility with the surrounding environment.
- Recreation : This backcountry airstrip adds opportunity for recreational enjoyment, it has added meaningful personal experience … (your personal remarks here.)
Comment deadline: April 3, 2025. Please take a moment and act now to save this recreational gem. Your voice counts!
Submitted March 10, 2025
By Carmine Mowbray
Posted in News
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RAF Oregon Ambassador Sarah Brown and RAF Oregon Liaison Richard Mayes have been awarded an RAF grant to rehabilitate the campground at Siletz Bay State Airport (S45), near the small community of Lincoln Beach on the Oregon coast. “Once an extremely popular place for pilot gatherings, this campground saw up to twenty-five airplanes at a time for weekend camping in its heyday,” Brown said. However, the campground has become overgrown and nearly forgotten over the years. Local RAF supporter Bruce Dunlop suggested the recreational potential to Brown. She and Oregon Ambassador Kevin Johnson explored the feasibility of reviving it; they envisioned the rehabilitation with the help of RAF funds and volunteers. Efforts include clearing brush and removing and chipping dead trees, removing rotten platforms, fire rings, and picnic tables. Volunteers will replace picnic tables and fire rings, lay gravel to help improve drainage, and build a firewood shed. The airport is owned and managed by the Oregon Department of Aviation (ODA). “Director Kenji Sugahara is an enthusiastic proponent of the RAF and its mission,” Brown said. RAF's Oregon team has successfully worked with ODA to improve safety and facilities at several other airports with recreational potential, particularly McKenzie Bridge (00S), Owyhee (28U), and Toketee (3S6). Other ongoing collaborations between RAF and ODA include discussions to improve the facilities at Nehalem Bay (3S7). Repaved in 2025, the Siletz Bay airport is a 15-minute walk from beautiful Gleneden Beach, what Brown says is “a great place to walk in the sand, look for agates, fly a kite, surf, or whale watch in the spring and summer.” A 40-minute walk north of the airport takes you to hiking trails at the Alder Island Nature Trailhead. Highway 101 parallels the runway and is known for its scenic cycling. Golfing is another recreational opportunity at the Salishan Coastal Lodge Resort, which is adjacent to the airport. Several nice restaurants are located within walking distance. See the Siletz Bay Airport listing in the Airfield Guide . Submitted March 12, 2025
Opportunity has three components: 1) The effort that goes into its creation; 2) Recognizing the opportunity; 3) Being ready and willing to act on the opportunity. Number one on the list is the sweat equity we have all put into the RAF – each one of you who has given of your time and talent. Campfire conversations that led to work parties that proved our conviction to the RAF mission. We learned what needed to be done, and we learned how to do it together. We were polite and persistent in our approach, which, in time, presented opportunities. Number two is recognizing that an opportunity is presenting itself, and knowing that it is one worth taking on. Over the years, we learned the RAF’s ability to prioritize, begin, and how to go about the best next steps. No backcountry guidebook was available, so we did a lot of “learning by doing.” The RAF has become a respected organization in our area of work. The opportunities that we are seeing on our plate today are not just luck. They were created. That is a tribute to you, the people of the RAF. Finally, when you add one and two, you come to being ready to act. We put much of the early effort into creating opportunities, then gained the experience to prioritize them, found wisdom and strength in allying with like-minded groups, and finally, we are doing our best to take action on the best of them. You are vitally important at this stage since we need you to continue to be a part of the action. The RAF will be asking you for support at many levels as we move forward, and we hope you will find the challenges as exciting as we do. When we call for your help, we only request that you look at the project and decide, is this my time to do what I can? We hope you will join us, and why not bring a new friend to help out? - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted March 15, 2026
Ken is a third-generation general aviation pilot. His grandfather owned a Jenny, and his father a Cessna 195. Ken’s flying background includes gliders of all types, numerous tailwheel, and high-performance aircraft. He learned to fly in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, in the 1980s, then flew for commercial glider operations in Aspen and Boulder. He recently got back into flying and enjoys doing so with his wife/copilot, Deb, and dog Moki in their C185. They have a particular interest in mountain and backcountry flying and camping. “Our family enjoys the outdoors and any excuse to travel to off-the-beaten-path locations,” Ken says. They have recently been to all the Colorado airports (excluding Denver International) and most of the airports in Wyoming. “We had a great time participating in the 2025 EAA AirVenture Cup Race prior to Oshkosh, where we placed second in the Skywagon class,” Ken adds, noting that there were only two entries. They camped under the wing of their 185 parked with 100 other Skywagons at Oshkosh, “and met many others with the same aviation affliction.” Ken looks forward to fulfilling his role as a Colorado Liaison supporting the RAF mission. He plans to fly to as many RAF-supported sites as he can to meet and learn from others. He, Deb, and Moki live in Loveland, Colorado, and base their plane at KFNL. “If you plan to be in the area or are traveling through, please give me a shout as I’d enjoy meeting you,” Ken says. He and his family plan many more adventures, so you may come across them when you’re on your own adventure, and if so, please say “hello.” Contact Ken at klong@theraf.org Submitted March 12, 2026
COLORADO LIAISON
The RAF is proud to announce the successful renewal of its Memorandum of Understanding with the Bureau of Land Management, establishing a framework of cooperation between the two entities. “This renewal has been years in the making," said RAF Chairman John McKenna, who signed the document on February 26. "It is a huge stride toward fulfilling the RAF mission and ensuring our continued successful cooperation with this major federal land manager,” he added. The original MOU was negotiated in great part by RAF Arizona Liaison Mark Spencer, and was mutually signed by the RAF and BLM in February, 2015. In brief, the MOU outlines BLM/RAF collaboration to preserve, maintain, and improve existing backcountry airstrips on BLM-managed lands, and mutual efforts to support safe and responsible recreational aviation. According to Cory Roegner, Bureau of Land Management Deputy Division Chief, Recreation and Visitor Services, "This renewed MOU marks an exciting step forward in our ongoing collaboration, and we look forward to the continued great work we'll accomplish together." Key persons in executing the MOU are RAF State Liaisons, who will be included in the early planning stages whenever aviation access might be affected, and to initiate appropriate airstrip maintenance and improvement projects. This agreement is in effect for the next five years, and is renewable upon mutual consent. Submitted March 10, 2026 Photo By: Ben Carlson, Mineral Canyon, UT
