ST. GEORGE, Utah - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Arizona Strip Field Office announces the
reopening of the Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area Campground beginning Monday, April 8, 2022.
The campground was closed in April 2019 to allow for renovations of the facilities to ensure the
health and safety of public land users, and to update restrooms and other facilities at this
45-year-old campground. Work completed includes thorough renovation of the restrooms, upgrades to
water system and electrical systems, resurfacing the roads in the campground, making sites ABA
(Architectural Barriers Act) accessible, and replacing or retreating picnic tables as needed.
Although many renovations have been completed, repair of the epoxy floors in the bathrooms and
replacement of septic tank/leach field at each of the three restrooms remain to be done.
However, the BLM desires to reopen the campground to meet public demand for the site, so this work
will be done after the campground is reopened. The BLM plans to conduct septic system replacements
in phases so that the campground will not need to close again, enabling the BLM to complete these
needed upgrades with only a few sites being temporarily unavailable while work is being done.
The Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area is in Mohave County, Arizona, within the Virgin River Gorge
approximately 20 miles southwest of St. George, Utah. The area provides opportunities for camping,
picnicking, nature and geology viewing, and hiking. It also provides recreational access to the
Virgin River corridor, the Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness and Paiute Wilderness. This scenic area,
which is surrounded by colorful canyons and rugged cliffs, is a natural attraction for thousands of
visitors every year due primarily to its location along the high traffic volume Interstate 15.
To increase recreation opportunities at the Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area (VRCRA), the BLM’s
Arizona Strip Field Office finalized a supplementary rule that reinstated a stay limit of 14
consecutive days at the site. The decision, which was published in the Federal Register on January
6, 2022, allows more members of the public to enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, scenic viewing, and
boating from this popular site. Documents
detailing the environmental assessment and decision are available for review at:
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/112524/510.
For additional information, please contact the Arizona Strip Field Office at 435-688-3200.
Work completed includes thorough renovation of the restrooms, upgrades to water system and electrical systems.
The renovation replaced or retreated picnic tables as needed.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
