BLM breaks ground on first developed recreational shooting sports site in Maricopa County
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PHOENIX – The Bureau of Land Management will break ground this week on construction of the Baldy Mountain shooting sports site, one of five sites currently planned within the boundaries of the BLM Phoenix District. Construction will begin May 4 and is expected to take approximately six months. Once completed, the site will be the first to open for public use.
“We are very proud to be breaking ground on the Baldy Mountain site, the first developed shooting sports site in our 2.5 million-acre district,” said Phoenix District Manager Leon Thomas. “This has truly been a collaborative process involving many valuable stakeholders, including partners and public land users.”
“Recreational shooting is a popular and growing activity in Arizona,” said Mike Raum, shooting sports branch chief for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “We look forward to continue working with the BLM and other partners to develop suitable, safe recreational target shooting opportunities for the public on public land.”
The Baldy Mountain site is located north of Phoenix, just north of State Route 74 and west of Lake Pleasant. The site will be minimally-developed including backstop berms, steel targets, gravel parking, handicap parking, kiosk, along with other amenities.
The area will be inaccessible during construction for public safety and the safety of construction contractors. Signs and fencing will delineate the area that will be temporarily closed.
Three of the remaining shooting sports sites are expected to start construction in the coming months with each one opening to the public as it is completed. Information on these shooting sports sites along with associated maps can be found online at: https://go.usa.gov/xmfVv.
These developed sites will provide more active management of recreational shooting sports in order to provide enhanced access for recreational shooting while also ensuring public safety, stewardship of natural resources, and protection of critical telecommunications and energy infrastructure.
For further information, contact Tyler Lindsey at the Phoenix District Office or by phone at 623-580-5500.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.