Arizona State Parks makes changes
(Phoenix, AZ - August 3, 2009) - According to State Parks Board Chair Reese Woodling, "Today the Board approved the 2010 operating budget down from $26 million to $19.3 million. All of that money now is coming from conservation taxes and park-earned monies with none from the state's General Fund budget. This is not a sustainable budget to keep the parks and programs operating, so we have hard decisions about how to fund each one."
"This $19M is also contingent on the enactment of the Budget Reconciliation Bill which would authorize the agency to use certain special funds for normal operating. Heritage Fund grants were recommended to be reinstated, but that is also contingent upon a favorable Joint Legislative Budget Committee review to allow internal fund transfers," said Woodling.
"Now our staff will be looking for all different types of partners to keep the parks open in these rural communities. In September our staff will be presenting scenarios for salvaging the State Parks and programs. We will have to drastically reduce our expenses to meet the extremely low budget presented today," said Renée Bahl, the State Parks Executive Director. The next meeting for the State Parks Board will be Friday, September 11, 2009 at the City of Peoria.
For more information about the 30 State Parks, statewide hiking opportunities, off-highway vehicle trails, and other outdoor recreational and cultural opportunities in Arizona, call (602) 542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free (800) 285-3703) or visit AZStateParks.com. Follow us on twitter.com/AZStateParks.
Some state parks park reduces hours
The Arizona State Parks board meeting on Friday, April 3rd, resulted in operational changes for some parks in the Arizona State Parks system. Continue reading about the Arizona State Parks reductions
ARIZONA STATE PARKS CAMPGROUNDS
Northern Arizona
Dead Horse Ranch State Park - (928) 634-5283 - Cottonwood - 150 campsites - fishing, boating (non-motorized), hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, guided trail rides, campfires in designated fire rings.
Fool Hollow Lake State Park - (928) 537-3680 - 92 hookup sites, 31 campsites, great fishing and swimming. Fire restrictions during windy days. Call ahead regarding campfires.
Lyman Lake State Park - (928) 337-4441 - 61 campsites & 4 yurts / 4 cabins, fishing, waterskiing . Campfires in cement fire rings and smoking in vehicles. No smoking while hiking.
Homolovi Ruins State Park - (928) 289-4106 - 53 campsites, Hopi Ruins, hiking. Campfires/smoking in developed areas only. No hiking while smoking.
Slide Rock State Park - (928) 282-3034 - natural rock slide in a creek, hiking. No smoking except in vehicles. No fires, including charcoal and gas.
Red Rock State Park - (928) 282-6907- No camping. Lots of hiking opportunities. No smoking while hiking.
Southern Arizona
Catalina State Park (520) 628-5798 - 125 campsites, hiking, corrals for horses. Charcoal and propane fires only, wood campfires not allowed.
Kartchner Caverns State Park (520) 586-2283 - 60 campsites - cave tours. Propane only. Smoking in camp area or vehicle, no smoking while hiking.
Lost Dutchman State Park (480) 982-4485 - 70 campsites, hiking into Superstitions. Charcoal and propane fires only, wood campfires not allowed, no smoking while hiking.
Patagonia Lake State Park (520) 287-6965 - 107 campsites, boats to rent, fishing, beach. Campfires ok in designated grills, must provide own firewood, no gathering or cutting on park property. Smoking in camp areas only, no smoking while hiking.
Picacho Peak State Park (520) 466-3183 - 85 campsites - fantastic walking trails. No restrictions at this time, no smoking while hiking.
Roper Lake State Park (928) 428-6760 - 71 campsites - hot tub, fishing. Campfires and smoking restricted to developed areas only, no smoking while hiking.
Western Arizona
Alamo Lake State Park (928) 669-2088 - 250 campsites, excellent bass fishing, waterskiing, swimming. Campfires and smoking in designed areas only.
Buckskin Mountain State Park & River Island (928) 667-3231 - 126 campsites, water sports, cabanas, beach. Campfires in designated grills, no smoking while hiking.
Cattail Cove State Park (928) 855-1223 - 61 campsites. No wood fires, charcoal for cooking within a campsite or on a grill on the beach. Smoking - campsites and beach only.
Lake Havasu State Park (928) 855-2784 - 47 campsites - boat launches, great park areas and swimming beach. Campfires in fire-rings call for details, smoking in camp areas, no smoking while hiking.
For information about Arizona State Parks call (602) 542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free (800) 285-3703 or visit the website at AZStateParks.com.
QUICK ARIZONA FACTS:
AZ State flower - Saguaro cactus blossom
Arizona State gem - Turquoise
Arizona State bird - Cactus Wren
Arizona State tree - Palo Verde
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Governor Jan Brewer Launches Ornament Drive for U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree
PHOENIX – During a tour of Moon Mountain Elementary School in the Washington School District, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer today announced the start of a statewide project encouraging students and others to craft ornaments that will adorn the 2009 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.
For the first time since the tradition began in 1970, Arizona has been chosen to provide the Capitol Christmas Tree, which will stand in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. this holiday season.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for Arizona’s school children and citizens to share their talent and show their pride for our great state,” said Governor Brewer. “This is our chance to showcase for the rest of the nation all of the great things Arizona has to offer, and it symbolizes the hope epitomized in the holidays.”
The 60 to 80 foot tall U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will come from the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona. In addition, our state will provide 75 companion trees for the Supreme Court, Departments of Agriculture and Interior, National Arboretum, Arizona Congressional Delegation Offices and other U.S. government offices. The companion trees will be selected on a statewide basis and will range in height from 6-25 feet tall.
At least 6,000 handcrafted ornaments will be displayed on the trees – 5,000 outdoor and 1,000 indoor ornaments. The theme for the decorations is: “What does Arizona represent to you?” Children making ornaments will be entered into a contest to win a trip to Washington, D.C. to help light the tree. Only one child will be selected.
Before being placed on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol for the official lightening ceremony in early December, “the people’s tree” will go on a statewide tour this November so that Arizonans can celebrate the journey and “Arizona’s Gift” to the nation.
For more information on how to participate in the ornament-making drive and ornament guidelines, fundraising, or other opportunities in the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Project, go to www.capitolchristmastree2009.org/ or contact Rick Davalos, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests at 928-333-4301 or rdavalos@fs.fed.us.
Kartchner Caverns State Park Limits Cave Tours for Summer
Until September 4th, the number of summer cave tours at Kartchner Caverns State Park will be reduced to 11 per day from Thursday through Monday and tours will start at 9am. On Tuesday and Wednesday there will be only six tours per day with those tours starting at 10am. Read more about the reduced hours at Kartchner Caverns.
Kartchner Caverns State Park lowers the price of the Rotunda/Throne Room tour for the summer.
When you book your tour for any day between June 1 and September 4, 2009, adult cave tour tickets will be reduced in price to $12 while tickets for youths aged 7-13 will be sold for $5 (children aged 6 and younger are always free). Ticket buyers will save $6.95 and $4.95 respectively per ticket.
Travelers through Southern Arizona can spend the whole day at the park. In addition to the 75-minute cave tour, there are opportunities for hiking, picnicking, camping, and in the Discovery Center, there is a movie about the cave explorers, the ecosystem and the geology within the cave. Read more about Kartchner Caverns summer 2009.
Governor Brewer Reminds Travelers of Passport Requirement
PHOENIX – Arizona Governor Jan Brewer reminds Arizona citizens of the deadline for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Beginning Monday, June 1, 2009, all U.S. and Canadian citizens will be required to present a passport or another WHTI compliant document to enter and re-enter the United States by land or sea from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda. Continue reading about the June 1, 2009 passport deadline.
All of our available information is online. For additional information and brochures, please contact :
The Arizona Office of Tourism
2702 N. Third St.,
Suite 4015
Phoenix, Arizona 85004
Phone: 602/542-8687
or 1-800-842-8257
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Arizona Entertainment Magazine (est. 1995) and AZentertain.com (est. 2004) is published independently in Tucson, Arizona by BZB Publishing, Inc. Entertainment Magazine On-Line (EMOL.org.) and EntertainmentMagazine.net is published through BZB Publishing Inc., a non-profit, tax-exempt Arizona corporation. First print publication in 1977. First on-line edition January 17, 1995. ISDN: 1087-8971 Robert Zucker, publisher.
© 2009 EMOL.org. Entertainment Magazine On Line / EMOL.org / AZentertain.com. All rights reserved.
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