Arches National Park's popular Devil's Garden Campground will be closed for much of 2017 as the park begins a major road reconstruction program.
The project will impact many of the parks roads and loops, making for some congestion and other possible closures next year.
Park Service officials said that while construction crews will make every effort to minimize disruption to visitor travel and activities during the project, visitors should expect delays and closures for much of the season.
In order to maximize staff and visitor safety, there will be times in 2017 and possibly 2018 when popular hiking areas such as Devils Garden, Delicate Arch and the Windows will be closed during construction work in those areas.
In a news release, the Park Service said that construction crews may use pilot cars and flaggers to control traffic day or night. When partial daytime closures are in effect, crews will limit traffic delays to 30 minutes or less per work zone.
The campground will be closed from March 1 through October 31 in 2017, meaning that campers will have to use Moab area Bureau of Land Management, state park or private campgrounds for much of the busy season.
The closure is part of a major program that National Park Service officials say will resurface, restore and rehabilitate approximately 26 miles of roads and pullouts in Arches. The project will include the entrance road, win park road, campground road and other spurs and loops inside the park.
Work includes pulverizing and resurfacing all paved roads; removing and replacing the bridge rail at Courthouse Wash bridge; formalizing pull-offs; conducting drainage work near the entrance station; constructing a new entry lane; building a roundabout along the entrance and, and constructing a turnaround lane at the Windows loop road.
The park anticipates that much of the pulverizing, paving and other work will occur at night in order to minimize impacts to visitor daytime travel and access.
Visitors can expect some loose gravel on roadway surfaces.
For up to the date construction information, park visitors can log on to www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/construction.htm. Arches officials will also provide information to local businesses, visitor bureaus and chambers of commerce as more specific construction dates and plans are determined.
Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Will Prettyman, 11, has fun playing the role of assistant as he lights up Skyline Arch next to the Arches National Park campground in late May.