Photo courtesy of Chris Peterson
Sugar House, Salt Lake County
In celebration of the
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout
October, 2022
Thanks to efforts from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and Utah Trout Unlimited, Colorado River cutthroat trout can be found in waters across their native range in the Beehive State.
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Now, a pair of the beautiful cutthroat trout have found a home in downtown Vernal. Utah Wildlife Walls, a partnership between mural artist Chris Peterson and the Utah Wildlife Federation, unveiled its third mural in Utah during the Dinah-SOAR Hot Air Balloon Festival in Vernal August 25-26, 2023.
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"When I first heard about the opportunity to have a Colorado River cutthroat trout mural in downtown Vernal, I was super excited, thinking this would be an incredible opportunity to bring engagement and awareness to our cutthroat trout restoration efforts,” said Trina Hedrick, Aquatics Manager for the Division of Wildlife Resources in the Northeastern Region. “This species is the only trout native to this area, and it was the only trout species present until about the 1880s when brook trout were distributed around the Western U.S. Cutthroat trout were an important species for native peoples, and due to efforts of state and federal agencies, conservation groups and private entities, it continues to be an important native and game species in the state.”
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The mural was funded by the Utah Cutthroat Slam – a partnership between the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah Trout Unlimited, the Utah Division of Arts and Museums, the Downtown Vernal Alliance, Vernal City, and Visit Dinosaurland.
“We are thrilled Vernal has been chosen to participate in the Utah Wildlife Walls project and are thankful for all the partners that helped make it happen,” said Laura Chynoweth, Chair of the Downtown Vernal Alliance. “It has been an honor to be a part of the collaboration - led by the Utah Wildlife Federation and Chris Peterson Studio.
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“While the mural will be here to inspire and educate people for years to come, we like to give the local community a chance to celebrate it together and learn a bout the creature on the wall,” said Utah Wildlife Federation Chair Brett Prettyman. “All wildlife should be celebrated by the citizens of Utah.”
On August 25th, community members and visitors were invited to the mural's unveiling during Dinah-SOAR Days and hear from local wildlife experts on the significance of the cutthroat trout to our area. Partners in the mural were on hand with information about Utah’s four native cutthroat trout, learn how to cast a fly rod, and create cutthroat trout art by painting wood cutouts.
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout
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Utah is home to many fish species, but none are as iconic as Utah's own state fish, the Bonneville cutthroat trout. The Bonneville cutthroat is one of Utah’s only native trout species, and has existed in the Bonneville Basin since long before humans came around. Ancient peoples in what would someday become Utah surely utilized cutthroat as a primary food source. Then, as early settlers came to Utah from the West, they also relied on these native cutthroat to get them through the first few years.
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Bonneville cutthroat however were the victim of wide-spread over-fishing, competition from introduced non-native fish, and habitat degradation. So by the 1950s, native “Bonnies” were thought to effectively be extinct. Thankfully, after their eventual rediscovery in the 1970s in Utah’s Deep Creek Mountains, and through monumental restoration efforts, the Bonneville cutthroat trout has been on the rebound and now thrive through much of their native range.
Photo courtesy of Chris Peterson
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Bonneville cutthroat trout offer excellent angling opportunities for those interested in fishing for them, and they help balance ecosystems by preying on smaller bait fish and various invertebrate life. They exist today as a symbol of resilience and act as a reminder about the vulnerability of Utah’s native fish and the need for Utahns to do our part in preserving their survival through proper care and conservation.
The Utah Cutthroat Slam is a challenge to catch, photograph and release at least 1 of each of Utah’s 4 cutthroat trout subspecies in their native waters. Register at their website to start the challenge!
Encounter Bonneville Cutthroat Trout!