ST. GEORGE — Following a three-year-long closure, the Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area Campground will reopen at the end of next week.
According to a press release issued by the Bureau of Land Management Arizona Strip Field Office on Wednesday, the campground will open April 8 after being closed in April 2019 to allow for renovations of the facilities to ensure the health and safety of public land users, and to update restrooms and other facilities at this 45-year-old campground.
Work completed includes thorough renovation of the restrooms, upgrades to water system and electrical systems, resurfacing the roads in the campground, making sites ABA (Architectural Barriers Act) accessible and replacing or retreating picnic tables as needed.
Although many renovations have been completed, repair of the epoxy floors in the bathrooms and replacement of septic tank/leach field at each of the three restrooms has yet to be completed. However, the BLM said in the news release they desire to reopen the campground to meet public demand for the site, so this work will be done after the campground is reopened.
The BLM plans to conduct septic system replacements in phases so that the campground will not need to close again, enabling the BLM to complete these needed upgrades with only a few sites being temporarily unavailable while work is being done.
The Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area is in Mohave County, Arizona, within the Virgin River Gorge approximately 20 miles southwest of St. George. The area provides opportunities for camping, picnicking, nature and geology viewing and hiking. It also provides recreational access to the Virgin River corridor, the Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness and Paiute Wilderness.
This scenic area, which is surrounded by colorful canyons and rugged cliffs, is a natural attraction for thousands of visitors every year due primarily to its location along the high traffic volume Interstate 15.
To increase recreation opportunities at the Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area, the BLM’s Arizona Strip Field Office finalized a supplementary rule that reinstated a stay limit of 14 consecutive days at the site.
The decision, which was published in the Federal Register on Jan. 6, allows more members of the public to enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, scenic viewing and boating from this popular site, the news release adds.
Documents detailing the environmental assessment and decision are available for review at this link.
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