White Sands Dunes Drive Closure Information

Thursday, August 23: The Dunes Drive will be closed to travel from 12:15 to 3:15 p.m.The Visitor Center remains open during road closures.  Closures are subject to change without notice.US Highway 70 between White Sands National Monument and Las Cruces may also be closed during missile testing. For Highway 70 closure information, call the White [...]

Camping still available at Colorado State Parks Labor Day weekend

Spend the last long weekend of summer in the great outdoors.DENVER - Savor the last long weekend of summer with a favorite summer pastime - camping at Colorado State Parks.  Labor Day weekend is just around the corner and most Colorado State Parks still have campsites available.Labor Day is fast approaching, and it is the [...]

Cherry Creek State Park Hosts Bird Talk

Sept. 1 at 7 p.m.- Birds of Prey presented by Hawk Quest, Campground AmphitheaterSee live birds and learn more about the birds of prey found in our area. Hawk Quest will introduce three different birds to our visitors. The only cost is the $7 entrance fee to the park.For more information on this program, call [...]

Tribal consultation river trip to take place at Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon, Ariz. - From August 20-28, 2007, the National Park Service (NPS) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) will be leading a tribal consultation river trip along the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.The purpose of this trip is for the NPS and the Reclamation to consult with affiliated tribes about various river-related issues [...]

Agriculture, Interior Secretaries Initiate Presidents Enhanced Hunting And Land Conservation Opportunities

WASHINGTON, DC, August 16, 2007 - President Bush’s Executive Order today directs coordination among federal agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture and Interior, to work directly with the Sporting Conservation Council promoting expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities and the management of game species and their habitat. The Sporting Conservation Council, a federally chartered advisory [...]

Kempthorne Approves $132 Million for Restoration of Lake Tahoe, Land Conservation in Southern Nevada

INCLINE VILLAGE, Lake Tahoe — Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne today approved more than $132 million for restoration, conservation and recreation projects in Nevada, including $45 million for Lake Tahoe and $87 million for Clark and Lincoln Counties. The funds will be used to reduce the threat of wildland fires, restore forest and watershed [...]

National Fire Activity - Preparedness Level 5 - Aug 20th Report

Initial attack was light on Sunday. There are now 53 uncontained large fires burning across the nation, including the 200,000-acre Zaca Fire in California, one of the largest wildfires in the state in recent years. A state of emergency has been declared for Ventura County.  (NPS)NIFC information follows:National Preparedness Level 5 (On a scale from [...]

Capitol Reef National Park (UT) Rangers Rescue Stranded Visitor

Swiss national Enz Ferdinand, 69, became stranded while attempting to descend from Hickman Natural Bridge to the bridge trailhead via an unmarked route. Ferdinand’s progress was checked 50 feet above the trailhead after he scrambled through some extremely dangerous/exposed terrain. Park personnel were able climb to Ferdinand’s position using a 30-foot extension ladder and traditional [...]

Cyclists Gear Up for Oct 2007 Furnace Creek 508 Race

AdventureCORPS, an event production firm specializing in ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, will host the Furnace Creek 508 Bicycle Race on October 6-8, 2007. Founded by John Marino in 1983 and known as “The Toughest 48 hours in Sport,” it is the world’s premier ultramarathon bicycle race. This 508-mile bicycle race is revered the world [...]

Navajo Lake State Park to Temporarily Shut Off Water for Improvements

FARMINGTON, NM - Beginning on September 4, 2007, Navajo Lake State Park’s Sims Mesa Recreation area will temporarily be without water for at least two months.  The Pine and Cottonwood areas of Navajo Lake State Park will not be affected and will remain open.  The facility shut down at Sims Mesa is to accommodate the [...]

Glen Canyon NRA Friday and Saturday Ranger Programs

Faith to Move Mountains: A Story Carved at Hole-in-the-RockExperience a tale that gives credence to the unbreakable will and tenacity imbedded in all mankind. Hop in the driver’s seat of a wagon scaling over mesas and plunging down across the Colorado River with the people behind the San Juan Mission. Adventure and hardship meet you [...]

National Fire Activity - Preparedness Level 5 - Aug 17th Report

National Preparedness Level 5 (On a scale from 1 to 5)August 17, 2007Wildland fires remain active due to the dry and windy weather conditions. Idaho and Montana have a total of 31 fires burning 1,074,562 acres.Weather Discussion: Thunderstorms are expected over the Great Basin, Montana and Wyoming today with gusty winds extending from the Sierra [...]

Agate Fossil Beds NM/Hubbell Trading Post NHS Felony Indictments Filed In Thefts From Two Parks

Max Garihan, 51, and his brother Gary Garihan, 45, have been indicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado for transporting items stolen from Hubbell Trading Post in Arizona to the state of Colorado and for transporting items stolen from Agate Fossil Beds in Nebraska to the state of Colorado. They’ve also [...]

Yosemite National Park (CA) Marijuana Gardens Raided

On Monday, August 13th, rangers located and seized 7,428 mature marijuana plants from three gardens in the park, all part of the same growing operation. The value of the marijuana plants is estimated at about $22 million. A number of agencies cooperated in Monday’s multi-agency operation - several national parks, the Mariposa County Sheriffs Office, [...]

Subcommittee to Host Field Hearing on Mining Law Reform on Aug. 21st

WASHINGTON, D.C. - For 135 years, failure to update the Mining Law of 1872 has allowed hardrock minerals, including gold, silver and copper, to be extracted from publicly-owned federal lands in the West with no royalties paid to the American people.In an ongoing effort to examine sensible solutions to reform this antiquated law, the House [...]

Utah BLM Schedule Federal Oil and Gas Sale for August 21

Salt Lake City, Utah - August 15, 2007 - The Utah State Office Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will auction oil and gas leases for 39 parcels of land August 21, 2007 at 9:00 a.m.  The sale will take place in Salt Lake City at the Utah State Office, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500 [...]

BLM Utah Seeks Comments on Proposed UNEV Pipeline

Salt Lake City, Utah - August 15, 2007 - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public input on the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement that will analyze the proposed UNEV Pipeline project.  UNEV Pipeline, LLC is proposing to construct and operate a 400- mile, 12 inch petroleum products pipeline that would originate [...]

Temporary East Entrance Closure Continues at Yellowstone

The East Entrance to Yellowstone National Park remains temporarily closed due to the threat posed by the Columbine Fire.Park rangers closed the road at the East Entrance and at the Pelican Creek barricade near Fishing Bridge at 7 o’clock Tuesday evening.The fire has advanced to within a half-mile of the south side of the East [...]

BLM Initiates Notification Period for Proposed New Camping Fee Areas Near Moab

Moab, Utah - August 12,  2007 - As required by the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-447), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is initiating a six month notification period as part of the process of considering establishing five proposed camping areas in the Moab area as new fee sites. Two [...]

Zion National Park (UT) Injured Canyoneer Rescued In Highly Technical SAR

Canyoneer Jim Turner, 47, of Salt Lake City, sustained serious injuries when he fell about 40 feet while completing the last, 100-foot rappel on the popular Pine Creek route on Monday, August 13th. Turner’s brother rappelled down to him, determined that he was too injured to make it out on his own, and hiked out [...]