The free-flowing 47 mile long Clavey River is recognized as one of the three most pristine rivers in the Sierra Nevada, according to the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project (SNEP) report’s Index of Biotic Integrity. SNEP gave the Clavey a score of 91 out of 100, making it third behind only Mill and Deer Creeks.

Thanks to the river’s remoteness, varied terrain and diversity of ecological communities, it supports many plant and animal species. Some of these, such as the Sierra Nevada red fox, wolverine, marten, California spotted owl, northern goshawk, foothill and mountain yellow-legged frogs and others, have special status due to their declining numbers elsewhere in the Sierra. Other creatures may not be fulltime residents but use the Clavey’s forested canyons for at least part of their lifecycles.⁵

The Clavey also boasts its original array of native fish species, including rainbow trout, Sacramento sucker, and California roach. In the lower portions of the watershed, near the Tuolumne River, Sacramento squawfish, hardhead, and riffle sculpin can be found. Introduced brown trout and rainbow trout from the Tuolumne most likely use the lower Clavey for spawning. In recognition of the extraordinary fishery in the Clavey, the California Fish and Game Commission designated the Clavey as one of the state’s first Wild Trout Streams in 1972. This designation restricts stocking of hatchery fish in order to protect self-sustaining trout fisheries.

Fish and frogs are not the only creatures to enjoy the Clavey River and its habitat. In more recent history, pioneer-settlers traveled the watershed looking for gold or other minerals, ranchers grazed cattle, and timber harvesters cut trees via railroad and truck-based logging. Anecdotal evidence points to the likelihood of sheep grazing in the watershed, as well. Before that, Me-wuk and Washoe native American people likely traversed the watershed as part of trading routes, leaving behind bedrock milling stations, associated pestles, arrowheads, scrapers and the stone remains of tool-making.

Today the portion of the Emigrant Trail that runs through the watershed is part of the National Historic Trail System, serving as one of the more popular wilderness trails in the area. Other areas within the watershed still support cattle and some recreational horse grazing, off-highway vehicle use, scenic driving, camping, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, boating, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and other activities.

Historic Setting

As described in the River Study, the Ecologic (a) “Outstandingly Remarkable” (OR) value applies to Segment 1; (Bell Creek, from its source .5 mile southeast of Burst Rock to Lily Creek and the Clavey River) (USDA 1991, Maps 1.1 and 1.2). The description of the Ecologic (a) OR value is similar to that of the Scenic (a) OR value: “outstanding Variety Class A landscape at Bell Meadow. The strongly defined patterns of mixed conifer, aspen, riparian and meadow vegetation provide one of the most dramatic displays of seasonal colors in the entire Sierra”.

District Archaeologists found thirteen prehistoric sites in Bell Meadow after surveying approximately one quarter of the area. Though not dated, other Central Miwuk sites in the Clavey drainage date to 4,000-5,000 years before present (DeHart pers. com. 1997) Bell Meadow sites include bedrock milling stations, associated pestles, arrowheads, scrapers and the stone remains of making these tools (DeHart pers. com. 1997). Though Miwuk people made many uses of meadows, a principal attraction of the Bell Meadow area was probably the large summer deer population (Leopold et. al. 1951).

The Forest Service used Bell Meadow as an administration site to stop over and rest horses between 1910 and into the 1920s. Also at this time, what was probably a cattle allotment cabin and fence were constructed in the lower Bell (Map 1.3; DeHart pers. com. 1997). The cabin was burned and bull-dozed in the early 1970s to prevent illegal use, but the fence remains. Annual grazing records for the Bell Meadow Allotment show cattle use of up to sixteen hundred (1600) animal unit months (AUMs) in the early 1900s. One AUM is equivalent to the amount of forage one cow and her calf eat in a month, or approximately one thousand (1000) pounds of feed. This was a period of very high grazing use, interspersed with periods of light or no grazing due to range wide outbreaks of hoof and mouth disease (USDA 1961).

Around 1920 the Forest Service began to regulate grazing in the Bell Allotment and reduced animal use to between 430 and 700 AUMs annually. At this time Bell Meadow proper was privately owned. The Forest Service re-acquired Bell Meadow in 1963 and an Allotment Plan from 1975 included the following grazing history: From 1957 through 1959 cattle use was light with non-use in 1960. 1961 through 1968 saw use by 15 to 20 bulls, and from 1969 through 1974, the permittee was allowed both cows and horses...90 AUM. Since 1964, the permit covers the fenced portion of Bell Meadow only. For several years now, the permittee runs cattle on the allotment at large, avoiding the fenced upper portion of Bell Meadow because of a danger of larkspur poisoning to the cattle. The fenced lower portion of Bell Meadow is used for sick horses and for gathering cattle.

(The information above is excerpted from the Clavey River Review in downloadable documents,  for more history and background please refer to that document.)