The U.S. Forest Service's Red Rock Ranger District announced Thursday it would close the highest trafficked trails and day-use sites near Sedona "in response to large numbers of people hiking, congregating, and not practicing social distancing."
The area had seen a large number of visitors to some of its most popular trails, and higher-than-normal dispersed camping in the area, according to a city release posted Tuesday.
The following trails will be closed this weekend until further notice:
- Beaver Creek Day-Use Site.
- Bell Rock Trailhead.
- Cathedral Rock Trailhead and Trail.
- Courthouse Vista Trailhead.
- Crescent Moon Day-Use Site.
- Devil’s Bridge Trail, including OHV access and surrounding associated trails.
- Dry Creek Trailhead.
- Long Canyon Trailhead.
- Mescal Trailhead.
- West Fork Trailhead and Trail.
Red Rock District Ranger Amy Tinderholt said in a press release Thursday that these locations had continued to see crowds and lines of people form.
“We realize these popular destinations in Sedona are places people rejuvenate by getting outside and experiencing the beauty this area has to offer,” Red Rock District Ranger Amy Tinderholt said. “We will not keep trails and areas open that create environments for COVID-19 to spread easily, which negates the important practice of social distancing.”
Forest Service employees and law enforcement officers will patrol the areas and issue citations for people ignoring the closures.
The closure comes a day after Grand Canyon National Park announced it would close to the public after receiving a request to do so from Coconino County health officials.
Sedona mayor: We have to protect our hospital
Mayor Sandy Moriarty has lived in Sedona for 48 years.
The popular Arizona tourist city regularly sees up to 3 million visitors per year. Traffic usually crawls along state routes 179 and 89A leading in and out of town.
But these days, traffic is nonexistent, Moriarty says, the first time in her 48 years she's ever seen it happen.
Moriarty declared a state of emergency effective March 19, forcing the closure of restaurants and bars.
But even after the closure order, the Forest Service reported seeing an "alarming" mob of hikers on Devil's Bridge, which has long been one of the most trafficked trails in the city, Moriarty said.
"We don’t want to close down trails," Moriarty told The Arizona Republic Wednesday. "But it may come to that."
Half of the land in Sedona is federal land overseen by the Forest Service, Moriarty said. On Tuesday, the Forest Service had already closed certain areas like campgrounds in Oak Creek Canyon.
On March 30, Gov. Doug Ducey issued a statewide "stay-at-home" order through April 30 in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, preventing Arizonans from leaving their residences except for food, medicine and other "essential activities."
But Ducey's directive still allows for outdoor exercise and keeping trails open.
Of particular concern for Moriarty was the limited capacity of local hospitals in the area. The Verde Valley has just one hospital in Cottonwood, in addition to one emergency room and a walk-in clinic, she said.
Ultimately, she said the decision to close the trails was the authority of the Forest Service and not the governor.
“We cannot afford to risk the capacity of our local hospitals or the lives of our healthcare workers and vulnerable citizens because people want to take a vacation,” Moriarty said in the press release.
Have a tip out of Scottsdale? Reach the reporter Lorraine Longhi at llonghi@gannett.com or 480-243-4086. Follow her on Twitter @lolonghi.
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