Sunday, May 9, 2010

Arizona State Parks Are Closing :(

I'm not sure if any of you reading this have heard, but almost half of the Arizona State Parks are going to be closed in the next month because the State is lacking funds to keep them open. I'm a native to Arizona and I love the outdoors! For many years I have visited several of the Arizona State Parks and there is so much that they can offer to visitors. Hiking, camping, boating, swimming, horseback riding, mountain biking, off-roading, and one of my favorites fishing. These parks also provide many educational opportunities in addition to preserving much of Arizona's history. Here are some quick facts about the State Parks here in Arizona:

Although there are 31 parks total, only 27 State Parks are currently open to the public

2.5 million visitors use the State Parks annually

1,386 official camping sites ranging from primitive to large RV sized areas and 13 of the parks have electric hook-up sites

58 miles of hiking/walking trails within the parks

9 swimming areas and 10 fishing areas

10 museums and 25 visitor centers

It makes me really sad to think that a majority of the State Parks will soon be closed. They have provided me and many other visitors with some great memories. I've been on field trips to the Arboretum with my elementary school classes and I've been fishing on many of the rivers that run through these parks. These parks need to stay open to the public because it helps make Arizona rich and diverse. The State Parks are also a big attraction for people visiting here from out of state. I'm not sure why more people haven't taken a stronger interest in finding ways to keep these parks open. Fortunately some parks will become privatized through various organizations in order to keep them open, but other parks will not be so lucky. I know that not everyone loves the outdoors as much as I do but it's still worth checking out what these places have to offer. I know that I can get tired of life in a busy city and sometimes I just need to escape and get away from it all for a weekend. Well these parks are a great way to do that and I will continue to help support our State Parks year after year. If you want to read more about our State Parks and the situation you can visit these websites:

www.azstateparks.com

www.arizonastateparksfoundation.org

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