Page 15 - summer 2019

14 Friends oF red rock canyon Friends oF red rock canyon 15

Shown below are the well weathered and outdated signage replaced as part of the renovation project

By KC Craven
Photos by Tawny Cox

This past April the Bureau of Land Management kiosks and signs, iron rangers, amphitheater seat-
(BLM) staff hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony and ing, fencing, outhouse painting and lighting, and
pancake breakfast to celebrate the completion of labor.
renovations to the Red Rock Canyon Campground.
They were joined by the staff of the Southern Ne- The campground includes 53 standard sites, six
vada District Office, the Southern Nevada Conser- R.V. sites, 14 walk-to (hike-in) sites, and seven
vancy, Friends of Red Rock Canyon, volunteers large group sites. Some of the improvements As BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner and Red must work with architects, engineers, project man-
and campers. include: Rock Canyon Campground Manager, I directed agers and other construction personnel. Through it
• A new fee station and iron ranger collection the project and was part of the renovation process all, normal campground operations must continue.
In 1998 the camp- site from the beginning. The Conservation Area has
ground moved from its • A new interpretative amphitheater and fire become more and more popular over the years, The results have been well worth all of the hard
original location in Oak circle making these campground improvements a neces- work involved. The Camp Hosts have reported that
Creek to its current • Installation of over a mile of wood fencing sary project. During the busy season a number of the improvements have been very well received by
site near Mile Marker • 10 large gates were erected for site security campers are turned away on a daily basis because the campers. The project will benefit thousands of
13 on State Route 159 • More than 75 BLM “new look and feel” our sites are full. It was decided that updating Conservation Area visitors not just today but well
and was named the 13 signs and interpretation/information kiosks these sites and using an online reservation system into the future and with these new amenities and
Mile Campground. The • A new climbing information center located so campers knew they had a spot to camp would improvements, people can stay longer and come
Volunteers dedicated to the preservation of Red Rock Canyon
campground took on its in the group site area be welcomed by visitors. All sites, except for the more often.
current name ten years • Outhouse upgrades including lighting and walk-to sites, can be reserved online at www.
later. There have been information signage recreation.gov. Another project currently being completed in
Susan Gonzalez serving pan- improvements over • 500 railroad ties were used to delineate the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is
cakes to happy campers the years, including campsites and protect vegetation A lot of work goes into a project like this. The the renovation of the Red Spring Boardwalk. Into
the 2006 installation • New walk-to parking lot organization planning and design process for the renovation the future, we will continue our work to upgrade
of shade structures on some sites; however, this • 80 cement parking curbs installed in the began in April, 2018, work began in the summer of the facilities in Red Rock Canyon in order to better
project is the most far-reaching completed to date. camping areas 2018 and continued through February, 2019. Staff serve our many visitors.
Overall, the project cost approximately $90,000 • Two miles of rehabbing of old roads and
using associated campground fees. It includes new trails

Ribbon cutting at the new check in area. Pictured left to right: Jason Douglas, Joe Kotecki, KC Craven,
Brittany Brooks, Dennis Lambert, Barb Lambert, Kathy Brewer and Catrina Williams Solar powered signage, an amphitheater with fire pit and a refurbished outhouse, also with solar lighting

the Rock - Volume 9 Issue 4 Summer 2019