National Forest Closures

[robert_kennedy]

Just found out that pretty much every National Forest in Arizona is

closed now. The drought we've been having has taken it's toll. So

if you plan on visiting, check with the NFS first!

 

Also, does anyone know how this applies to National Parks? Here many

are literally IN the National Forests. Yet I can't find anything

about them being closed, but the forests they are IN are closed.

Weird.

[joe_boyd]

Suggest you start with the <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/">US Forest Service</a href> website. Another <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml">page</a href> has links to national forests by state. As an example, the <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/">Pike National Forest</a href>, an area of continuing wildfires in Colorado, isn't closed, but they do have fire restrictions.

<P>

Decisions on closure or restricted use of national parks are made independently of the national forests since they are separate administrations.

[joe_boyd]

The NPS has a <a href="http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/">daily summary</a href> of ranger activities across the system, including fire responses.

<P>

If you look back at the history of wildfires in and around NPS sites, the number of times that sites have been closed to visitors have been very few (Yellowstone in '89 comes to mind). Park administrators will restrict visitors from fire areas (for example, the Glacier NP fire last year) rather than shut down a whole park. Typically, substantial, or core parts of a park must be endangered before visitors will be locked out completely.

[b. edward sandifer]

The Pike National Forest and federal lands in five front range

counties were just closed to visitors this morning here in

Colorado. The big fire currently going on was set by some idiot

who just had to have a campfire on his camping trip. We could

see this coming for the past month.

[christian deichert]

Currently, areas controlled by the Forest Service are closed in Arizona. In support of this decision, all canyon/forest areas on Fort Huachuca (where I work) have also been shut down by decision of the post commander, Brigadier General "Spider" Marks.

 

In contrast, I haven't heard of any areas owned by the Park Service closing. Last time I was at Montezuma Pass in the Coronado National Memorial, the NPS-owned pass was open but there was a closed sign next to the cattle guard on the west side of the pass where the park ends and the National Forest begins. As long as NPS land is still open, the Forest Service cannot prevent access to it; the main roads to and from parks should still be open. Stray from the road, though, and expect a talking-to and/or a ticket.

 

Also, the Bureau of Land Management hasn't shut down its areas yet, at least as of this weekend. The BLM ranger I spoke with at the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness on Saturday said that they were considering closing the canyon but they hadn't made a final decision. (Aravaipa is a GREAT hike, by the way; if AZ residents haven't done it yet I suggest you make reservations and do it.)

[frank_kimble]

Well, canyonlands was open today, painted desert and petrified forest were open yesterday. Carlsbad was open day before yesterday. And I really hope Arches will be open tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1