Black Rock Campground Rehabilitation

Project Description

The project will include a complete redesign of the campground that will divert floodwaters to existing channels away from the park and surrounding homes. The campground configuration will be changed to reposition campsites that are currently susceptible to flooding. Sites will be expanded throughout the campground to allow for larger campers and RVs that are currently unable to use the majority of the sites. In an effort to expand capacity, additional walk-in sites will be designated. Accessible campsites and trails will be created. New accessible comfort stations will be constructed, as well as a new dormitory for staff housing and an entrance station. Existing structures will be renovated. Utilities throughout the campground will be replaced. A new engine bay will be constructed to accommodate oversized vehicles. All roadways in the campground will be replaced.

Justification

The rehabilitation of Black Rock Canyon Campground represents a significant percentage of the park’s deferred maintenance inventory. The overall expense of the project has prevented the park from addressing these issues with other funding mechanisms. When originally constructed, the campground was not designed to meet NPS standards for safety, accessibility, or basic infrastructure. The current condition reflects poorly on the park’s commitment to providing excellent recreational opportunities to the visiting public. The campground’s original design did not address the potential threat of flooding. As a result, the poor drainage design has led to deterioration of camping sites, roadways, and trails within the campground, as well as significant negative impacts to surrounding homes in the downstream community of Yucca Valley. Comfort stations do not meet the requirements for accessibility. The engine bay associated with the Fire Center is not sufficiently sized to accommodate fire service vehicles. Rehabilitation of the campground has been the park’s highest priority for over a decade. This project will achieve this goal and absorb the overwhelming backlog of deferred maintenance associated with Black Rock Canyon Campground.

Upon completion of this project, the new layout of the campground will provide proper drainage of floodwater, improved and renovated structures, newly constructed infrastructure, and accessible recreational opportunities. Unsafe conditions such as deteriorated campground roadways and trails will be eliminated, as well as risks to the neighboring community.