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June 6, 2023 United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL PARK SERVICESOUTHEAST ARIZONA GROUP Chiricahua National Monument, Coronado National Memorial, Fort Bowie National Historic Site 4101 East Montezuma Canyon Road, Hereford, AZ 85615 Record of Determination of a Reduced Operating Schedule for the Fort Bowie National Historic Site Visitor Center Pursuant to 36 CFR § 1.5, the National Park Service (NPS) is implementing a reduced operating schedule for the Visitor Center at Fort Bowie National Historic Site. The Visitor Center will be closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning June 19,, 2023 and extend through August 30, 2023. All other facilities to include parking lots, trails, bathrooms and access to historic structures will remain open to the public. On August 31, 2023 the Visitor Center will return to a normal operating schedule. The temporary operating schedule change is due to low visitation during summer months and improves staffing flexibility across the Southeast Arizona Group of national park sites. The Visitor Center closure will also reduce visitor impacts during a planned construction project to replace an existing accessible ramp and porch area. Park information and passport stamps will remain available to visitors seven days per week throughout this period. The closure restricts access during specified days to the interior of Visitor Center which includes displays of objects, photos and narratives of the Fort Bowie grounds and associated locations nearby. The Western National Parks Association (WNPA) bookstore will also be closed on the same Monday through Wednesday schedule during this temporary period. Access to a WNPA bookstore and NPS staff is available at the nearby Chiricahua National Monument Visitor Center seven days per week from 8:30am until 4:30pm. The temporary closure will not require a long-term or significant modification in the resource management objectives of Fort Bowie National Historic Site.Accordingly, pursuant to 36 CFR § 1.5(b), publication as rulemaking in the Federal Register is unnecessary and unwarranted. This determination is consistent with past partial and temporary park closures or public use limitations in the NPS Intermountain Region. Pursuant to 36 CFR § 1.7, notice of the closure will be made through physical posting, electronic communication, and by park staff direction. This Record of Determination is available upon request. Date June 6, 2023 Superintendent Matthew D. Carroll |
Last updated: June 8, 2023