Wet Beaver Creek Wilderness Camping Closure

[chumley]

Wet Beaver Creek Wilderness Camping & Campfire Closure

For Immediate Release

Date: June 10, 2009

Contact: Red Rock District Office (928) 203-7500

Verde Valley, AZ —The Red Rock Ranger District is implementing an overnight camping and campfire closure for the Wet Beaver Creek Wilderness and Bell Trail. This closure extends from the Beaver Creek Road FR 618 east along Wet Beaver Creek for approximately 5 miles. This camping and campfire closure includes the popular area known as the Crack and extends up to the top of the mesa along the Apache Trail. The closure area extends approximately one half mile wide along the Wet Beaver Creek including the Bell Trail, Weir Trail and a portion of the Apache Trail. The Wet Beaver Creek Wilderness area remains open for day use and the closure does not include Beaver Creek Campground.

Rational for this closure is to enhance day use recreation and to help protect this fragile riparian wilderness from further degradation due to overnight camping and campfire activity. Such impacts include: soil compaction, vegetation removal, increased fire danger, litter and graffiti.

For further information concerning this closure, please contact the Red Rock Ranger District at 928-282-4119, or for a copy of the closure order #04-08-06R and map dated 11-5-2008, please go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/nepa/f ... ndex.shtml

edit: added map

[azbackpackr]

Stove-only rule and instituting a backpacking permit would be better than a blanket closure like this. Probably a closure is easier for them to deal with? Anyway, it bites.

[hippiepunkpirate]

Joe: you should put that map up on the descriptions

[azdesertfather]

fyi

This Order will remain in effect until November 1, 2010 or until rescinded.

Violations of these regulations is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor, by a fine of not more than $5000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months or both; 16 USC § 551, and 18 USC §§ 3559 and 3571.

[azbackpackr]

fyi

This Order will remain in effect until November 1, 2010 or until rescinded.

Violations of these regulations is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor, by a fine of not more than $5000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months or both; 16 USC § 551, and 18 USC §§ 3559 and 3571.

Sheesh. Could turn out to be a pretty expensive camping trip... Anyone know if a permit system has been proposed?