Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 87
The Forest Service continues the fence project in the Lower Salt River area to comply with state agreement to help minimize horse-related accidents. PHOENIX, January 11, 2020 - For Immediate Release. Tonto National Forest staff continue to oversee contracted installation of 14 miles of fence in the Lower Salt River area on the Mesa Ranger District as part of a joint effort to prevent horses from crossing Bush Highway, which endangers the animals and the public. The established fence line also... Full story
PHOENIX, December 13, 2019 - For Immediate Release. Today the USDA Forest Service released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Pinto Valley Mine project for public review and comment. The mining plan of operations submitted by Pinto Valley Mining Corp. proposes to expand existing open-pit copper and molybdenum mining operations from private lands onto National Forest System lands. The proposal would extend the mine life to 2039 and consolidate prior authorizations that are re... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is seeking information officers hope will lead to those responsible for contaminating a water catchment with diesel fuel or gasoline northeast of Flagstaff. Sometime around Sept. 15, fuel was deliberately poured into Young's Canyon Trick Tank, a water catchment in Game Management Unit 7E near U.S. Forest Service Road 775 and east of the high tension powerlines. The catchment is approximately 2 miles east of the Winona exit (211) along Interstate 40.... Full story
Almost thirty-five years ago, John and I and our American Brittany, Katie, went to Haigler Creek for the weekend. We camped in the woods right next to the creek and never saw anyone else the whole time we were there. Recently, John and I and our French Brittany, Mochi, went back to Haigler Creek just for a ride to get out of the heat. It makes for a great day trip, especially if you take the dirt roads down through Young afterwards and head north from there. Through Young The main road north... Full story
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is seeking information officers hope will lead to those responsible for contaminating a water catchment with diesel fuel or gasoline northeast of Flagstaff. Publisher's Note - Volunteers for water catchment placements are always welcome. Please contact Don McDowell at don@huntingfishing.com for information. Sometime around Sept. 15, fuel was deliberately poured into Young's Canyon Trick Tank, a water catchment in Game Management Uni... Full story
The Coconino National Forest is seeking public input on proposed fee implementation at the Clint's Well and Kehl Springs campgrounds, and fee increases at Blue Ridge, Rock Crossing, Knoll Lake, Elks, Long Valley Work Center and Moqui campgrounds on the Mogollon Rim Ranger District. Based on increased use at campgrounds, a fee increase and fee implementation is needed to continue site improvements and will help ensure that people can continue using and enjoying our campgrounds. Fees have not... Full story
This Is A Seriously Fun Trip Living in Phoenix means that it is too darn hot to ride around in the desert in the summer, at least for me – and I'm a native. So when the temperatures get into the hundreds, we take to the hills like a lot of folks in Arizona. A couple of weeks ago we took what we call a "truck trip" – that means a road trip that doesn't require the side by side, so if it involves dirt roads, they are usually pretty tame. This trip was one I really enjoyed because we saw a lot of c... Full story
For that reason, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has trucked or airlifted more than 1.5 million gallons of precious water to catchments throughout the state since January 2018. And trail cameras tell the tale of this important work with footage of elk, deer, bighorn sheep and countless other species leaning over for a refreshing drink at one of 3,000 catchments maintained by the department. "Water catchments are used by all wildlife and while badly needed monsoon rains recently returned, st... Full story
April 12, 2019 - Good afternoon, Here is the final update for the East Fire. Thanks for sharing this information with your audience. Have a great weekend, Carrie Final Update: The East Fire, located south of Globe, is now 100% contained. Firefighters will mop-up hot spots, and smoke may continue to be visible for the next several days, unless the area getting a wetting rain. The final acreage of the East Fire was 5.9 acres. Carrie Templin Public Affairs Officer Forest Service Tonto National... Full story
Enjoy an early morning birding hike with Natural Resource Specialist Jesse Bolli at Homestead National Monument of America on Friday, May 3and/or Saturday, May 4, 2019 at 7 a.m. This program will begin at the Homestead Education Center with a light breakfast of bagels followed by a short walk to investigate the birds of Homestead’s prairie and woodland. Limited numbers of binoculars will be available; you are encouraged to bring your own. One all-terrain wheel chair is available to check-out, a... Full story
When the weather starts heating up in Arizona, everyone begins to long for a large body of water to dive into. In an ideal situation, this body of water would also be beautiful and have lots of things to do and to look at. This pretty much describes Saguaro Lake in a nutshell. Now before I go getting you all excited about Saguaro, let me first tell you that Saguaro is a very popular lake and if you want to find a parking place for your boat trailer, you need to get there early. Fat Bass Add To L... Full story
One of the things I like most is simply to drive around off the highway and explore. My dad and I used to do that a lot when I was younger – we'd scout for deer and we'd take every road we found. Sure, a lot of times we had to turn around because the road was too rough – after all, we were driving a '62 Chevy pickup with a Power Glide transmission. That means it had just two gears, low and high. Weird, right? But we took that thing all over the place, especially in Hunt Unit 21. Dugas Road was... Full story
Summer is the perfect time to visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon because the higher elevation of the North Rim means forest and cool summer days. The North Rim is usually a lot less crowded than the South Rim as well, mostly because it takes a lot longer to get there. We took a five-day trip in June that included Page, Marble Canyon, Lee's Ferry, and the North Rim, and it was awesome. Granted, the weather was a bit hot in Page and Marble Canyon, but not quite as hot as in the Valley, so we... Full story
Very High Fire Danger At Grand Canyon National Park With fire restrictions in effect across much of northern Arizona, including Grand Canyon National Park's neighbors Coconino County, Arizona state lands in the county, and the Kaibab National Forest, NPS fire managers remind visitors and residents that fire danger in the park is very high. State 1 Restrictions Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) is in State 1 fire restrictions year-round, which means campfires are only allowed in the park's three... Full story
I grew up in a world without personal computers or cell phones, and since I also grew up hunting, I know how to use and read a paper map. In fact, with a topo-quadrant map and a compass, I can pinpoint my location quickly and easily. I love paper maps and I have a lot of them, but I also use GPS extensively. In fact, I use both because paper maps and GPS or electronic maps both have their strengths and weaknesses. For me, GPS will never replace a paper map. Topo Quadrant Maps I have an entire... Full story
I recently saw a report on one of the local Arizona news channels on plogging. The report showed a group of people exercising and getting ready to do some trash cleanup along the Salt River. According to Wikipedia Plogging is a combination of jogging and picking up litter. The term comes from the Swedish term plocka upp. What I didn't see in their report was any reference to cleanup along our border or in our public lands. Don McDowell addresses border clean up in his article Congress Explores... Full story
Residents of Alpine, Ariz., Reserve, N.M., and surrounding areas may notice a low-flying helicopter in the region between through Saturday, Feb. 3 as biologists conduct their annual Mexican wolf population survey and capture. The flights are part of the Mexican wolf Reintroduction Project, a multi-agency cooperative effort among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Service... Full story
John and I went Coues hunting this year. We have a great 4-wheel-drive pickup, but while scouting and hunting we discovered that we needed more. Our little whitetails are spooky, and once the season opens, you have to get far away from the easy roads or you're just not going to see any. And although we could get over a lot of stuff in the truck, there always seems to be an impassable piece of road keeping us from where we want to be. I'm sure there are guys who insist they can get their trucks... Full story
An annual survey of the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel showed a significant decline due to the effects of the lightning-caused Frye Fire in the Pinaleño Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The annual survey, conducted jointly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), Coronado National Forest, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Center for Nature Conservation-Phoenix Zoo, and the University of Arizona, resulted in an estimate of only 35 squirrels. This is a significant decrease... Full story
Before you know it, the holidays will be upon us and we'll all be scrambling to find the perfect gift for the people we love. If someone you love also loves the outdoors, here are some ideas that are sure to please. Good Maps Are Essential Build Your Own Whether your passion is fishing, hiking, hunting, off-roading, RV-ing, or geocaching, good maps are essential. The best way to get the perfect map is to visit MyTopo.com and build your own. These are especially great for hunters because you can... Full story
Visitors to Grand Canyon National Park can now learn more about the role wildland fire plays at Grand Canyon. The short film "Living with Fire in the Grand Canyon" highlights the importance of returning fire to Grand Canyon's fire-adapted ecosystem. "Grand Canyon National Park has one of the most active fire management programs in the National Park Service," said Grand Canyon Chief of Fire and Aviation Jay Lusher, "and this film helps us tell our visitors the story of fire at Grand Canyon."... Full story
On August 28, the price of the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass - will increase for the first time since 1994. The additional revenue will be used to enhance the visitor experience in parks. Learn more about the changes, what they mean for you, and how the additional funds will be used. Why is the price of the Senior Pass increasing? The price of the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass - is... Full story
In Arizona, people tend to think of heading north to cool off in the summer, but there are many places in the southern and eastern areas of our beautiful state that also offer higher altitudes, cool forests, and great hikes. These places include Mt. Lemmon near Tucson, the Pinaleno mountains near Safford, and the Mt. Baldy Wilderness near Greer. Mt. Lemmon In July, the Burro fire was raging and crews were using the Mount Lemmon highway as a firebreak. Residents, campers and hikers were forced... Full story
There are 90 wilderness areas in our state - a total of 4,512,120 acres. That's a lot of country! But what exactly is a wilderness area, what can you do there, and how does a place become a wilderness area? A wilderness area is a place where the lands are designated for preservation and protection in their natural state and where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by men (from the Wilderness Act of 1964). These lands remain undeveloped and no permanent improvement or human... Full story
Note - See the update at the bottom of this story for areas that have reopened since the issue date. PHOENIX, AZ, February 28, 2017—For Immediate Release. Forest Road 19, leading to Bartlett Lake, is closed due to flooding just east of the Cave Creek Ranger District office. Forest Road 20 which leads to Needle Rock and Box Bar is also closed due to flooding. Recreation sites around Horseshoe and Bartlett reservoirs have been closed because of water flowing into and through the Verde River s... Full story
