Forest Service to limit vehicles at popular fall colors site in Arizona

PHOENIX — The U.S. Forest Service has doubled the number of vehicles it will allow per day at a popular fall colors viewing site near Flagstaff starting next weekend.

Vehicles will be capped at 100 at Coconino National Forest’s Lockett Meadow, which includes Inner Basin Trailhead. Visitors to the campground aren’t included in the count, according to the forest service website. The limit will be in effect Oct. 7-8 and Oct. 14-15.

The Arizona Daily Sun reported after capacity was reached, one car would have to leave before another was let in.

Brian Poturalski with the Flagstaff Ranger District told the newspaper that curbing car access would minimize damage to the area’s natural resources. The agency also said the restriction would help keep visitors safer on the steep, narrow slope.

A ranger will be stationed at Forest Road 552 at the bottom of the hill. Lockett Meadow has 17 campsites that are on a first-come, first-served basis. Stays at each top out at two weeks.

A tweet from the Coconino National Forest account earlier this week showed the meadow and basin trail still mostly green but would be at their peak within the next couple of weeks.

Forest service staff recommended visiting midweek, when the area was less busy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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