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Heard on NPR this morning the state will be closing ten state parks in the next year or so due to lack of funding. Two mentioned were Lost Dutchman State Park and Picacho State Park.

What is going on here?

GTG

I just saw the most amazing ad on tv! If you're watching the Dbacks game on channel 3, maybe you saw it, too. It was an ad by the Arizona Lottery, talking about how they money they raise has helped the state parks. Two of the parks they showed in the ad... Lost Dutchman State Park and Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. Lost Dutchman is closed, Tonto Bridge is scheduled to close in November. I guess somebody forgot to tell the folks over at the lottery. :roll:

The only thing amazing about it is like I said before...
The decision to go PowerBall
It isn't generating any revenue.

But hey! you can go to Fort McDowel or Gila River and get some terrible service in return for all you give. It makes me sick and the worse part is Bidwell almost bought into it! Ugh

Not only is Powerball not generating money, since they brought it in, fewer people are playing Lotto, too. That means it's generating less money, too.

I heard Usery was closed or closing. Any truth to that? I haven't been able to find info to verify either way.

The last word I heard was the park is open, but the Pass Mountain and Wind Cave trails are closed.

Yep - park open for picknicks - no hiking on the trails though.

Gee, think I'll pass(mtn..ha ha, hey it's better than wind, cave of course) on the five dollar picnic fee...eek

Just notifed this

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... ks-ON.html

montezumawell wrote:The announcement of park closings is nothing new for them. They've been doing it for years.

well that's good to hear! and the fact that Snick is still alive too!

Thanks for the info Snick. The Arizona Heritage Fund approved by the voters earmarked lottery revenues of 10 million for State Parks and 10 million for AZ Game and Fish. The money was slated for various items park aquistion, habitat restoration etc. With the advent of powerball, people bought less of the AZ lottery but more powerball. The thugs at the legislature said this was different money (the voter approved measure stated lottery proceeds) and did not fund the various beneficeries of lottery proceeds. What they have down now is raid the heritage fund and attempting to use it for general operations, this was not the intent of the Arizona Heritage Fund. This will also depend on Arizona Lottery proceeds are enough to fund the other programs before the Heritage Fund. Since the Heritage program expires next fiscal year, the problem of funding Arizona State Parks remains.

Thanks for that info Nighthiker....seems as though our elected officials have opted again for a bandaid solution rather than addressing the real problem.

Nighthiker wrote:This will also depend on Arizona Lottery proceeds are enough to fund the other programs before the Heritage Fund.

A fine young gentleman mentioned this earlier in this thread

I'll shut up with that, if I say anymore folks will think I sound like one of those crummy elected officials. 8O

Back to the trails! I'm just here to have a little fun in the Arizona sun! Hike on! :P

Still here Joe, but between my back and my throat I feel like I'm hanging on by a thread

Snick33 wrote:Still here Joe, but between my back and my throat I feel like I'm hanging on by a thread

Like summer this too shall pass... WE HOPE!

Keep hanging, we're all pullin' for ya!

Snick33 wrote: between my back and my throat I feel like I'm hanging on by a thread

Hang in there Rick. I'd hate to think of losing the only other person besides Hoolie that I can pick on with regularity. Gotta have good sparing partners you know.

Go give Scout a kiss for me and then take a nice dip in the pool (sans clothing of course) - you'll feel like yourself again in no time.

Since I had never been there before and threats of closure were looming, I planned a family trip to the Tonto Natural Bridge this past weekend. It was a wonderful trip and a great place to take a carload of kids. We got there a little after 10:00am on Sun and the weather was cool and overcast for our entire day. The admission was $6 for the carload and worth it. We played around in the bottom of the bridge/canyon for an hour, had a picnic under the trees, and played in the canyon some more. There was water flowing out of the bridge an in other areas of the creek (pine creek?).

After that we checked out the trailhead to Fossil Springs for next weeks proposed adventure, and finished out the day in Payson escaping the heat.

I just checked with Bob out at Usery, he said that all trails are open! Including Pass Mtn and Wind Cave...just thought I'd pass it on..

The closed state parks should reopen on Sat the 10th.

Did you all read in the paper that Arizona "found" the funding to reopen these state parks? I think it was in the Republic last Sunday. Good news!