National Park Service
A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States
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ARIZONA

THE POPULATION is largely in the irrigated sections, concentrated around Phoenix and Tucson, with great stretches of desert and mountain country containing few if any inhabitants. Approximately two-thirds of the State is in Federal ownership, national parks and monuments, national forests, wildlife areas, Indian lands, reclamation lands, grazing districts and unreserved public domain.

The great wealth of scenic, historic, and scientific recreation resources, including climates favorable for all types of recreational activities hoth for summer and winter, accounts for the continually increasing number of tourist and seasonal residents coming into the State.

Most of the population centers are fairly well served by municipal, metropolitan or county parks and nearby forest areas. There is no State park system and there does not appear to be a real need for one. Consideration should be given to preserving the scenic values along the highways and the provision of wayside parks for the benefit of travelers. There are many important historic and archeologic sites which should be preserved for the benefit of the State and the Nation.

Large bodies of water in this desert and semidesert country are of special recreational significance, and those such as Lake Mead and Lake Havasu are of sufficient importance because of the spectacular settings to warrant development for recreation by the Federal Government.

map
(click on image for an enlargement in a new window)



FEDERAL

National park: Existing
acreage
Proposed
additions
22. Grand Canyon645,119.5

National monuments:
7. Organ Pipe Cactus330,687
10. Pipe Spring40
11. Grand Canyon201,291
16. Casa Grande472.5
20. Montezuma Castle521.4
23. Wupatki35,865.3
24. Sunset Crater3,040
26. Walnut Canyon1,879.4
32. Tonto1,120
42. Saguaro63,284
45. Tumacacori10
54. Petrified Forest90,302.3
56. Navajo360
57. Canyon de Chelly83,840
63. Chiricahua10694.8
     Total
823,407.7



National recreational areas:
4. Boulder Dam1,142,779

National forests:
9. Kaibab1,772,529
12. Prescott1,265,714
27. Coconino1,730,420
30. Tonto2,410,636
33. Crook1,422,777
35. Coronado1,317,616
52. Sitgrave801,735
61. Apache679,432
     Total
111,400,859



National wildlife areas:
31. Salt River Reservation21,120
60. Apache Migratory Waterfowl Refuge2,514
64. Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge860,000
65. Kofa Wildlife Refuge660,000
     Total
1,543,634




STATE

State parks:
18. Papago1,185
59. Saguaro5,920
     Total
7,105



State monuments:
36. Fort Lowell12
39. University Ruin40
43. Colossal Cave640
     Total
692



Proposed State monuments:
6. Joshua Tree

8. Ajo Copper Mine

13. Fort Whipple

17. Maricopa Wells

19. Fort McDowell

21. Tuzigoot

28. Kinishba

29. Travertine Bridge

37. San Jose

40. San Xavier

44. Tubac

46. Camp Crittenden

47. Guevavi

48. Quiburi

49. Tombstone

50. Fort Grant

51. Fort Apache

53. Battle of Big Dry Wash

55. Awatovi

58. Fort Defiance

62. Fort Bowie



LOCAL

County parks:
3. Haulpai, Mohave County2,328.4
38. Tucson Mountain, Pima County28,185
     Total
30,513.4



Proposed county park:
1. Yuma County


County monument:
34. Beshbagowah, Gila County


Metropolitan parks:
15. Phoenix (4 areas)14,696
41. Tucson, Randolph Park480
     Total
15,176



Proposed metropolitan park:
25. Flagstaff

1 Area under Federal administration June 1938.



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park-recreation-problem/arizona.htm
Last Updated: 18-May-2016