Tour and campground reservations now accepted at Kartchner Caverns State Park

Reservations are now being accepted for Kartchner Caverns State Park cave tours and campsites.

Kartchner Caverns is a stunning limestone cave discovered in 1974 in Southeastern Arizona that opened to the public in 1999. The cave flourishes underground with 99 percent humidity, while the desert above it's only ten percent.

The caverns feature a variety of 32 different calcite formations created by the water percolating down through the desert's the surface.

Cave tours can be booked one year in advance with Throne/Rotunda and Big Room tours available all winter. The Big Room is closed Apr. 16-Oct 1 so the mother bats can roost and raise their young in that part of the cavern, and the Rotunda/Throne Room is closed to allow for scientific monitoring and assessment from October 10 through December 14.

Prices for the tours are $22.95 for adults and $12.95 for children age (7-13) and customers may book up to a maximum of 20 tickets. Tours run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

A two loop Campground is located off of the main road past the Discovery Center on the southwest end of the park. Camping fees are $25 per night.

The park's Discovery Center features museum exhibits, a large gift shop, regional displays, a theater, educational information about the caverns and the surrounding landscape. There are also hiking trails, lockers, shaded picnic areas, a cafe, an amphitheater, and a hummingbird garden. For more information call (602) 542-4174 (outside of metro area call toll-free at 800-285-0373) or visit AZStateParks.com.

New state park for Arizona

With all the financial problems the states are having, and especially in Arizona where several of the state parks have already closed, you wouldn't think that the state would be adding a new state park.

Well, actually, they aren't. But they are about to change the name of Hololovi Ruins State Park to a different name, possibly dropping the word "Ruins" from the name as has been requested by the Hope Tribe, who will be operating the park.

With the grand re-opening of the State Parks/Hopi Tribe partnership to launch on March 18, the State Parks Board asking for public comment. They are open to any suggestions the public may have to offer about this name change and will discuss this at the March 17, 2011 public Board meeting in Winslow City Council Chambers.

Public suggestions about changing the name of the State Park may be directed to the Arizona State Parks website "Comments" section.

These Hopi ancestral villages at Homolovi Ruins State Park include four major pueblos, numerous smaller structures and site features ranging in size from one-room pithouses to a 1200-room pueblo, and panels of petroglyphs with numerous depictions of katcina and clan symbols. The sites date from AD 620-850; AD 1050-1225; and AD 1260-1400.

Grand Canyon "Star Party" not for Hollywood set

If you'd like to look at some really heavenly bodies, head for either the North or South rims of the Grand Canyon in early June for the big Star Party. No, you won't find the flashing of Paparazzi cameras, and no models worthy of the annual "Swimsuit Edition." Rather, the Star Party is looking up--way up!

Each year the National Park Service teams up with astronomers to bring the starry heavens closer to earthly viewers. With telescopes, park visitors get a chance to zoom in on real stars and planets. With its location far away from big city sources of light pollution, the Grand Canyon is an excellent venue for a good views of the stellar heavens.

Running a full eight days (and nights) from Saturday June 5 through the following Saturday, June 12, amateur astronomers will bring their equipment to give visitors a chance to view planets, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies at night; and to view the sun by day. At the South Rim venue, events include a slide show nightly at 8:00 p.m. next to Yavapai Observation Station, followed by free telescope viewing. Across the way on the North Rim, telescopes will be set up on the porch of the Grand Canyon Lodge every evening.

Park folk remind visitors that at the Grand Canyon the high elevation spells cool nights. Bring yourself sweaters, jackets, a layered outlook on clothing. For South Rim visits, Plan to walk or arrive by free Village Route shuttle bus which runs until 11:00 p.m. For a comfortable spot at the slide shows, arrive early and bring something to sit on. Telescope viewing continues well into the night; visitors may arrive anytime after dark. Visitors to the South Rim Star Party will need a flashlight for the walk to the viewing area, but are asked to keep flashlights pointed down to protect everyone’s night vision. A red flashlight is best, and can be made by covering any flashlight with red cellophane or red nail polish or even red magic marker.

For more information visit this site: http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/grand-canyon-star-party.htm

photo courtesy Ron Short through the National Park Service