The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public input through Jan. 31, 2020 on backcountry planning for Wupatki National Monument. The NPS is gathering ideas on the activities that may be appropriate for Wupatki’s backcountry areas.
Currently, public access to Wupatki’s backcountry is limited to protect monument resources from unacceptable impacts, such as vandalism and artifact collection. NPS staff and volunteers lead small groups (fewer than 15) into several areas on a seasonal basis.
“Through your feedback, we hope to explore what future opportunities exist," said Flagstaff Area National Monuments Superintendent Kayci Cook Collins, “Your thoughts and ideas will help inform the planning effort."
Submit comments at the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website. Additionally, NPS will be hosting an open house event to discuss potential opportunities for backcountry areas at Wupatki, to gather public input, and to respond to questions. Open house event will be on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020, from 5:30-7:30pm at Flagstaff High School Commons, 400 W. Elm Avenue; Flagstaff, Arizona.
Wupatki was established as a national monument in 1924 to protect archeological sites such as Wupatki and Citadel Pueblos and enlarged several times to expand protection to thousands of additional archeological sites and other cultural resources. The monument covers 35,254 acres, of which roughly 97 percent includes backcountry areas or areas that are eligible for wilderness designation. In addition to archeological sites, the monument also protects other fundamental resources and values, such as Wupatki’s natural setting (e.g. wildlife habitat for pronghorn, golden eagle, and prairie falcon) and wilderness qualities (e.g. sense of solitude, dark night skies and natural quiet).
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About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
