Officials with the Recreational Aviation Foundation and the Utah Back Country Pilots report that Rustler Canyon airstrip near Bears Ears National Monument is the newest backcountry airstrip to be added to the aeronautical chart.
The airstrip will appear as 09UT on the Denver Sectional and ForeFlight in June 2025.
“Utah Back Country Pilots recognized that this airstrip in Lockhart Basin needed to be preserved, and completed a lease with the state of Utah to ensure it was officially recognized,” said RAF Utah Liaison and Utah Back Country Pilots (UBCP) board member Wendy Lessig.
The runway was recently graded and Lessig reports that it is in excellent condition.
The airstrip, open for non-commercial recreational use, offers hiking and primitive, dry camping. There are no amenities at the airstrip other than a windsock.
“It is just you, your plane, the red rock mesas and canyons in all quadrants, and the universe of stars overhead,” Lessig said.
“It is of the utmost importance that pilots be respectful when flying in this stunning environment, close to Canyonlands National Park,” she added.
For more information: UtahBackCountryPilots.org
