NPS will halt reservations during paving project

 

Last updated 3/27/2019 at 9:33am



There could be complications this summer if you’re planning to use a paved parking lot at Spring Canyon or any other Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area facility, including campgrounds with pavement and boat launches with paved parking lots.

The National Park Service will stop taking reservations for this summer for its facilities in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area and will offer refunds to those who’ve already reserved their campsites, the NPS announced Tuesday.

A project to repave every bit of asphalt in the park this year may take unpredictable turns as weather and other factors may take contractors to the various locations in the park. Park officials would rather not offer reservations at all rather than have campers show up and find their spot not available.

“It’s going to be a crazy summer,” said Denise Bausch, chief of interpretation and education at LRNRA and the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail.

Beginning July 8, contractors under the Federal Highway Administration, in conjunction with the National Park Service, will be resurfacing and restriping all National Park Service-managed asphalt surfaces within the boundaries of the park, a press release issued Tuesday said.

“This includes, but is not limited to, all National Park Service campgrounds, marinas, day-use areas, boat launch and other parking areas, and connecting roadways,” the release said.

Areas will be temporarily closed on a rolling basis throughout the park.

“Effective immediately, all remaining open reservation dates for all reservable campsites and group campgrounds that begin on or after July 8 through the end of October 2019 will close. Existing reservation holders for this period will be contacted concerning the potential for site closures and offered refunds. Reservations will be subject to site closures for the duration of the project.”

Bausch said there is no way to provide a schedule of closures, and park officials won’t know when specific areas will be closed until two weeks beforehand. They’ll post that information on the park’s website, on social media and let news media know as it is available.

The 131-mile-long recreation area has a total of 575 campsites, including only 92 sites that can be reserved and six group sites. Bausch said Spring Canyon campground has 78 sites, which are usually full during weekends in the season.

Spring Canyon saw a total of 118,335 visitors in 2018, according to statistics available on an NPS website. The Crescent Bay boat launch in Grand Coulee, which is not paved so should not be affected, saw more than 37,000 visitors and more than 1,000 boat launches. Spring Canyon launched more than 4,800 boats.

Campsites in open areas throughout the park, with the exception of existing reserved sites, will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. But campers may be required to relocate to a different campground based on work crew schedules.

Information about the site closure schedule will be available on http://www.nps.gov/laro/planyourvisit/pavement-project.htm, on signs and park bulletin boards, shared with local media outlets, and posted on park social media outlets approximately two weeks in advance of site closures. These schedules are subject to change with limited notice due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

 

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