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Greater Sedona Recreation Collaborative outlines OHV strategy, seeks roughly $1.6M for trailhead redesigns and mitigation
Summary
The Greater Sedona Recreation Collaborative and U.S. Forest Service staff briefed the Sedona City Council July 14 on a multiyear strategy to manage off‑highway vehicle impacts, asking roughly $1.6 million to fund prioritized redesigns, rapid‑response capacity and monitoring.
Members of the Greater Sedona Recreation Collaborative (GSRC), together with U.S. Forest Service staff, presented an update July 14 on efforts to manage and mitigate the impacts of motorized recreation in and around Sedona.
GSRC conveners Nina Barlow (Barlow Adventures) and Melissa Ponticus (Friends of the Forest Sedona) outlined priorities: continuation of rental‑user education and restoration work, a vehicle monitoring program, development of visitor capacity worksheets and a project management plan (PMP) prepared with the Forest Service enterprise team. The PMP and associated visitor capacity worksheets aim to create a common, defensible framework to evaluate routes and prioritize restoration, reroutes and infrastructure work.
Key items and near‑term steps discussed: - Funding ask: GSRC described an initial funding request of about $1,600,000 to address a package of projects, with funds allocated between city projects (including Bridal Arrow Trailhead redesign), Trail Partners (the nonprofit formerly called ROC), and Keep Sedona Beautiful. City staff said the FY2025 budget includes a contingency of $850,000 that could support the Broken Arrow/Bridal Arrow work if a state parks grant is awarded. - Visitor and vehicle monitoring: Teams and paid student interns are collecting year‑long traffic and vehicle‑type counts on nine routes; monitoring is scheduled through September to establish a baseline. - Rapid response coordinator: Trail Partners would host a coordinator and rapid‑response team to address incursions (off‑route travel and new social trails) quickly with measures such as posting boulders, fences and restoration work. - Speed study pilot: A pilot speed‑limit study on Boynton Pass Road (Forest Road 152C) is under consideration; the city and legal counsel will review authorities and options. - Permit system: GSRC emphasized that permit systems remain a longer‑term option; current initiatives (visitor counts, infrastructure and outreach) are being undertaken whether or not a permit system is ultimately adopted. - State education requirement and OHV sticker: Arizona Parks & Trails launched a required online education course for sticker registration earlier in the year; presenters said about 80,000 people have completed the online course to date, and state officials will evaluate effectiveness over the coming year.
Councilors and staff discussed enforcement, collaboration with the city of Cottonwood and Yavapai County sheriff’s offices (some enforcement grants and buys of OHV enforcement vehicles are in place), and whether industry partners remain engaged: presenters said Polaris‑led quieter‑muffler efforts had not advanced after focus shifted to other regulatory priorities.
Ending GSRC and city staff will pursue grant applications (including State Parks and Trails funds), continue vehicle monitoring through September, finalize visitor capacity worksheets and return to council with grant or contract requests when funding opportunities are secured.
