Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Visitors to Grand Canyon National Park this spring break can expect long lines and full parking lots. Last year, Grand Canyon's visitation hit an all-time high. Based on visitors coming to the park this spring, 2016 will probably set another record. As a result of increased spring break visitation, traffic regularly backs up at all entrance stations, with the longest wait time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Parking lots, especially near Grand Canyon Visitor Center, start reaching capacity by 11... Full story
The Arizona Site Stewards Program was honored at the 4th Tri-National Sonoran Desert Symposium held in Ajo, Arizona on March 7-10. The International Sonoran Desert Alliance (ISDA) presented the honor, which commemorates 30 years of volunteerism to preserve Arizona archaeological resources, and ongoing participation with the agencies and entities of the Sonoran Desert. Among those present included the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S... Full story
Grand Canyon, Ariz. – Search and Rescue crews continued looking for missing woman Diana Zacarias of Natchitoches, LA. Crews spent yesterday and today looking for Zacarias by foot above and below the rim. The park helicopter has assisted ground searches. On Sunday, April 3 the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a phone call reporting a missing individual last known to be at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Zacarias, was reported missing by a family member. Z... Full story
Washington, D.C. - April 18, 2016 A coalition of recreational fishing and boating organizations praised the introduction of a bill, S.2807, that will safeguard the role of state fisheries management agencies and help prevent unwarranted fishing closures like what recently occurred at Biscayne National Park. Led by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the " http://act.keepameric... Full story
Grand Canyon, Ariz. – The National Park Service (NPS) has announced a 30-day public comment period seeking input on changes to the scope of the Bison Management Plan at Grand Canyon National Park. The focus of the planning effort will shift from development of a long-term management plan for North Rim bison to initial herd reduction. In spring 2014, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the NPS initiated public scoping for an environmental impact statement (EIS) to d... Full story
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and forest landowners are preparing to move forward on a joint strategy to help protect the fisher, a member of the weasel family currently under consideration for federal listing as a threatened species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is accepting public comments through March 30 on a proposed agreement with WDFW that, if approved, will extend incentives to landowners who take steps to protect fishers that move onto t... Full story
Grand Canyon, Ariz. – Grand Canyon National Park will celebrate the 46th anniversary of Earth Day with an open-house style celebration from 10 am until 2 pm Friday, April 22, 2016 at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center Plaza. This year’s activities will focus on water, including conservation, quality, and encouraging people to develop a broader understanding of this precious resource. Grand Canyon’s Green Team is hosting the open-house style event and is looking for 10 participants from outsi... Full story
It's been 100 years! Well, almost. But, this summer it will be.. On Aug. 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill that created the National Park Service. And, Arizona has benefitted greatly from this; our state boasts four national parks and 22 national monuments, historic sites, recreation areas, and memorials. In addition to the premier attraction, Grand Canyon National Park, three other natural gems in Arizona are Petrified Forest National Park, Saguaro National Park, and Tumacacori N... Full story
The U.S. Department of the Interior has released a proposed framework for adaptively managing Glen Canyon Dam over the next 20 years with the goal of creating certainty and predictability for power and water users while protecting environmental and cultural resources in Grand Canyon National Park and the Colorado River ecosystem. The draft environmental impact statement (EIS) is available to the public for review and comment for 90 days. Brings Together Diverse Stakeholders "This document is... Full story
Updated Wildlife Rules Now In Effect. The Arizona Game and Fish Department, as part of its regular five-year review rulemaking process, has updated its Article 4 (Live Wildlife) rules. The new provisions became effective in December 2015 and were approved by the Governor's Regulatory Review Council. The new provisions include some notable changes including the following: • Removal of hedgehogs from the restricted live wildlife list to allow them as pets. • Prohibitions on possession of any non... Full story
Winter in Phoenix is a beautiful thing! There is so much going on: great events every weekend, the sun shines (almost) every day, and the temperature is just right. It is an ideal time to get out in the parks to explore the Sonoran Desert. Phoenix has some of the most parkland per person within city limits in the United States, and mountain preserves and public land surround the metro area. Here are three great options for getting outdoors in the Phoenix area. • Phoenix Mountain Parks and Preser... Full story
(Phoenix, AZ - February 18, 2016) - For the entire month of March 2016, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)/Arizona State Parks (ASP) is coordinating activities throughout the state for the 34th annual celebration of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month (AAHAM). These events will focus on efforts to preserve our past by protecting our cultural resources. AAHAM combines education with entertainment to reach both adults and children in an effort to teach responsible... Full story
Starting tomorrow, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on H.R. 2406 (the SHARE Act)—a comprehensive sportsmen’s focused piece of legislation that includes critical language ensuring access to our nation’s public waters. A key provision of the SHARE Act, is language requiring the National Park Service and NOAA marine sanctuaries to work together with state fisheries agencies before recreational or commercial fishing access is restricted. This critical collaboration would help rever... Full story
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is one of 113 national parks selected to receive a 2015 field-trip grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks. Grant funds are being used towards providing transportation by boat for approximately 200 local fourth grade students through Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to visit Rainbow Bridge National Monument. The project is being completed through partnerships between Glen Canyon National Recreation Area,... Full story
Grand Canyon, Ariz.* – Over the last 24 hours Grand Canyon National Park has received heavy snowfall resulting in significant snow accumulation. The National Weather Service is predicting additional winter storm activity and heavy snow fall across Northern Arizona, including Grand Canyon National Park. The National Weather Service Flagstaff has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for areas including Grand Canyon National Park through Friday, January 8th. A Winter Storm Watch also remains in effect... Full story
PAGE, Ariz. – *The U.S. Department of the Interior today released a proposed framework for adaptively managing Glen Canyon Dam over the next 20 years with the goal of creating certainty and predictability for power and water users while protecting environmental and cultural resources in Grand Canyon National Park and the Colorado River ecosystem. The draft environmental impact statement (EIS) is available to the public for review and comment for 90 days. “This document is the result of inc... Full story
Managing and conserving Arizona's natural, cultural and recreational resources for the benefit of the people, both in our Parks and through our Partners. Winter in Phoenix is a beautiful thing! There is so much going on: great events every weekend, the sun shines (almost) every day, and the temperature is just right. It is an ideal time to get out in the parks to explore the Sonoran Desert. Phoenix has some of the most parkland per person within city limits in the U.S., and mountain preserves... Full story
Each year the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD) announces a national collaboration of all 50 State Park systems across America to sponsor guided "First Day Hikes" on New Year's Day. Arizona's "First Day Hikes" offer individuals and groups an opportunity to begin the New Year on a healthy note, so get out those boots and take a hike! There will be 20 different hikes offered at 18 parks on January 1, 2016. A full listing of hike locations, difficulty and length, terrain and tips...
OLYMPIA – Biologists today released seven fishers into Washington’s south Cascades mountains, where the reclusive, cat-sized mammal hasn’t been seen for more than 70 years. The fisher is one of the larger members of the weasel family, which includes otters, badgers and wolverines. Fishers were eliminated from Washington by the mid-1900s through over-trapping and have been listed as a state-endangered species since 1998. Today’s reintroduction was made possible through collaboration between... Full story
North Rim operations began seasonal shut-down of most visitor services on Friday, Oct. 16. The North Rim will remain open to visitors, closing for winter on Tuesday, Dec. 1 or until snow closes State Highway 67 leading into the park. The Grand Canyon Lodge gift shop will remain open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Dec. 1. Self-service gas and diesel fuel will continue to be available in the park through Dec. 1 or until State Highway 67 closes Beginning Nov. 1 through Dec. 1, entrance fees are... Full story
Grand Canyon, Ariz. – Grand Canyon National Park invites the public to start the celebration for the upcoming National Park Service Centennial on Saturday, November 7 and visit the REI Village. In partnership with REI, a premier sponsor for the “Find Your Park” NPS Centennial campaign, an interactive “village” will be set up at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center between 10 am and 4 pm this Saturday. The REI Village creates an opportunity for visitors to join in on a backyard-style party full of g... Full story
Alexandria, VA – November 19, 2015 – The sportfishing industry applauds the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for advancing a major portion of the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015 during today’s committee markup hearing. Originally sponsored by Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015 contains provisions that will benefit our natio... Full story
Grand Canyon, Ariz. – The National Park Service (NPS) announced today another opportunity for the public to weigh in on revisions to Grand Canyon National Park’s Backcountry Management Plan (BMP). The NPS began developing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for this plan in 2011 in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). More than 580 public comments were submitted during the initial phases of the development of this DEIS. The purpose of the BMP is to establish an... Full story
Grand Canyon National Park invites all fourth grade students to visit the park for free as part of the White House's new Every Kid in a Park program. As of September 1, fourth grade students can now go to www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an activity and obtain a free annual pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks. 'Getting To Know You' "During the National Park Service's centennial celebration, we want everyone to get to know their national parks, and we're... Full story
Las Vegas, Nev. – The 13th annual “Mountain Gear Presents: Red Rock Rendezvous” (RRR) rock climbing festival will return to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas, Nev., Friday through Sunday, April 1-3, 2016. Mountain Gear is offering early registration packages that start at $119 for the weekend clinics with world-class athletes and the nation’s top climbing guides. For more information on regitration options or to register, visit www.RedRockRendezvous.com. Special early... Full story