Logan Simpson surveyed 3,452 acres in Kane County on the traditional homelands of the Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) and Pueblos peoples in Utah’s Virgin culture region, as part of cultural resources compliance in support of fuels reduction near frequently used roads and trails. The region’s extensive Ancestral Puebloan archaeology offered valuable learning for Great Basin-based staff who rarely encounter such features and artifacts in typical work areas. Having multiple staff members qualified to lead fieldwork enabled efficient project coverage, and collaboration of staff from multiple offices enhanced the pool of expertise on the ground. Prior to fieldwork, renowned Southern Utah University archaeologist Barbara Frank shared decades of local experience, helping prepare our crews for the region’s unique cultural materials.

Despite the large area and challenging sandy conditions that buried much of the cultural landscape and created difficult terrain, pedestrian inventory was conducted at 15-meter intervals. The systematic survey revisited six previously recorded sites and documented 60 new sites spanning multiple periods — Archaic, Basketmaker II, Basketmaker III, Pueblo I, and Pueblo II — with artifact scatters including flaked stone debitage, formal tools, milling gear, ceramics, and architectural features. Thirty-five sites were recommended eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.