In-state Fourth of July travel with current closures

July 4th weekend is coming up, most of Arizona’s state and federal lands are closed to recreational use due to fire danger. Most state “parks” are still open, but that’s about it. We asked author and travel expert Roger Naylor for his recommendations on where to go and what to do to beat the heat.

With national forests closed and most state-managed land closed, many people’s plans have been thwarted. Naylor said that there are still plenty of places left to consider and that you just have to make sure you pick your spots.

“Wallapi Mountain Park is a place that people forget about, with some beautiful mountains right outside of Kingman.” Naylor said. He also said that most state parks are still open including Lieman Lake State Park near Springerville. There are campgrounds around the lake as well as some air-conditioned cabins, depending on availability.

Naylor said that the petrified forest is still open for anyone seeking hiking recreation around that area. He said that you can find places, you just have to be willing to look.

“A great July 4th weekend is always Prescott,” Naylor added. “This is the final days of the world’s oldest rodeo, so that ends on July 4th and you’ve got a couple of days to wrap that up.”

He also said that on the Fourth there’s a party there at Watson Lake Park where fireworks are shot off.

If you want to beat some of the Prescott Valley the traffic, Naylor suggested heading south. Oracle and the Biosphere 2 are just a few of the state’s southern destinations that are both worthy of a visit and the holiday weekend makes for a great opportunity to do so.