Camping/Shooting with the scouts

[fj40fax]

We need to camp with the scouts in a couple weeks. We are finishing off Rifle and Shotgun so we need to camp where we can shoot. We camp at Chimney Rock by Little Moab all the time so we want to try someplace new. GPS coord of campsites would be ideal, but a good description would be great too. We don't realy want to be too close to any other people that are opposed to getting accidentally shot.

Thanks,
Fax

 

[Rusted]

We need to camp with the scouts in a couple weeks. We are finishing off Rifle and Shotgun so we need to camp where we can shoot. We camp at Chimney Rock by Little Moab all the time so we want to try someplace new. GPS coord of campsites would be ideal, but a good description would be great too. We don't realy want to be too close to any other people that are opposed to getting accidentally shot.

Thanks,
Fax

I am one of the scout leaders and big into shooting and guns as well. One warning for you is the official scout policy on shooting with the kids. Break the policy, get to insurance, you carry all off the liability. You can not longer take the kids out to the desert and shoot, you are not required to have them on a NRA approved shooting course, with a NRA certified instructor. At one time I looked into getting my NRA certification, but I figure the only reason I would do it was for the occasional event with the kids, but then you still have to take them to the gun range. As I understand it the Lee Kay center is easy to work with to have an instructor on hand.
I am not always a stickler for the rules, but on this topic I think it is only right to start the kids with proper trained instruction of how to be safe, handle the firearm, etc. And remember I am positively on the pro gun side of this issue.

 

[fj40fax]

Actually we are going out with a NRA cetified instructor who is going to set up the range for us to shoot safely. He is really great and the scouts really like him. I remember when we did rifle/shotgun as a kid our instructor was a detective for the LAPD and he brought in some great crime scene photos to impress upon our young minds what guns can really do. One pic was of a guy who tried to hit a mugger with a shotgun with a short piece of pipe, his brain was about 3 feet away from his body.

Fax

 

[Meat_]

This reminds me of a time when I was helping some friends move their cattle up the mountain and we rode up on some scouts shooting the County Sheriff's AR-15 across a road, at a rail road tie corner post... all while trespassing.

 

[DaveB]

We need to camp with the scouts in a couple weeks. We are finishing off Rifle and Shotgun so we need to camp where we can shoot. We camp at Chimney Rock by Little Moab all the time so we want to try someplace new. GPS coord of campsites would be ideal, but a good description would be great too. We don't realy want to be too close to any other people that are opposed to getting accidentally shot.

Thanks,
Fax

I have seen scout groups on the south end of Stansbury Island. There is an old gravel pit area where lots of people go shooting. If you go a bit farther west on I80 there are lots of remote areas on the Lakeside, Cedar, or the Grassy mountains where I used to take my scouts. You can get away from everyone out there.
Dave

 

[Caleb]

I have seen scout groups on the south end of Stansbury Island. There is an old gravel pit area where lots of people go shooting. If you go a bit farther west on I80 there are lots of remote areas on the Lakeside, Cedar, or the Grassy mountains where I used to take my scouts. You can get away from everyone out there.
Dave

South end of Stansbury is private property...I believe it's owned by Morton Salt.

During scouts, our favorite place to go shooting was out on the pony express trail, not far from Simpson Springs. I can't remember exactly how to get there but basically you head out past Stockton and keep going for a while longer, then I believe there is a sign for the turn-off, take that and rive a ways on the dirt road...you get back into some mountains and can find some nice canyons back in there where you are away from anyone and you can set -up your range with a nice backdrop (the hill side )...

 

[Rusted]

Cool you have a NRA Instructor to go with you, I am all for teaching kids about guns, but those first lessons will stay with them a lifetime. Make em good ones.

I second the Simpson Springs area. There is a campground out there that is good one. Over looks the military traning area. All kinds of stories about things that happen there at night, things that fly, and look strange. Plus there are some caves out there too. Last spring when were were there I spotted a little fawn out in the sage. The kids did not believe me, so I sent 3 of them from 3 angles to walk up to it. They all got withing about 10 feet before it stood up and bolted, the fawn was scared but not half as scared as those three kids!

 

[Meat_]

...During scouts, our favorite place to go shooting was out on the pony express trail, not far from Simpson Springs. I can't remember exactly how to get there but basically you head out past Stockton and keep going for a while longer, then I believe there is a sign for the turn-off, take that and rive a ways on the dirt road...you get back into some mountains and can find some nice canyons back in there where you are away from anyone and you can set -up your range with a nice backdrop (the hill side )...

Take the oil that goes south just past five mile pass (Pony Express route that goes through Faust), shortly after you cross the rail road tracks you'll hit the same road that comes from Stockton (36)..... take a left on that (south on 36 for about .6 miles) and look for the pony express sign (hard to see in a blizzard right Badger? )

Edit: ok so the turn past five mile only goes south for a little bit then it's more westish

 

[fj40fax]

Thanks for the help guys. I think we are going to go out the pony express trail. Any one have GPS coord for a good camp spot? It looks like our instructor will not be able to come until after work so we need pretty clear directions that he can find after dark.

Thanks,
Fax

 

[Rusted]

From a google search I found this site, with some directions. When you see the old cabin you will know you are close. I may have some GPS coordinate of the campground in my GPS still, if I do I will sent them to you.

http://www.utahoutdooractivities.com/simpsonsprings.html'

try this link from mapquest it may help as well. From Vernon you go through a gate that was well marked at BLM land, and from there out it is a good dirt road. Watch for the wild horses.

 

[Meat_]

From a google search I found this site, with some directions. When you see the old cabin you will know you are close. I may have some GPS coordinate of the campground in my GPS still, if I do I will sent them to you.

http://www.utahoutdooractivities.com/simpsonsprings.html'

try this link from mapquest it may help as well. From Vernon you go through a gate that was well marked at BLM land, and from there out it is a good dirt road. Watch for the wild horses.

This campground?

 

[Rusted]

This campground?

That looks like it. When you camp there is a hill to your East, and to the North West there is the proving grounds. Bring some binaculars, you can see some of the building there, but not much else unless you have some optics.

 

[fj40fax]

We camped at indian springs last year, I'm not sure we want to go that far out this time. Closer to Faust would be ideal, but I don't know where the BLM land starts.

Fax