Out, about: Campers head to Arizona hills for Fourth of July weekend
Jul 1, 2015, 8:31 AM | Updated: 9:11 am
PHOENIX — The great outdoors of Arizona will likely be a busy a place this Independence Day weekend.
Grand Canyon park officials said there has been a 20 percent jump in visitors this year and that could mean a longer wait to get into the park, up to 30 minutes more.
Closer to Phoenix, forest officials were expecting full campgrounds at Tonto National Forest. Some fire restrictions will be lifted there starting Thursday at 8 a.m.
Bans have been lifted on campfires and target shooting, spokeswoman Carrie Templin said Wednesday, but fireworks remain prohibited.
Up at the canyon, July is generally one of the the canyon’s busiest month. Last July more than 620,000 visited.
Spokeswoman Emily Davis said traffic likely will be jammed at the park entrance. About 4.5 million visitors make their way to the park every year.
There was rain at the national park earlier in the week.
YES! It's raining. Thank you! 😀❤️ @NWSFlagstaff -etw
— Grand Canyon NPS (@GrandCanyonNPS) July 1, 2015
KTAR’s Jim Cross and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
