Great American Outdoors Act Funds Manning Camp Trail Restoration at Saguaro National Park

TUCSON, Ariz. - Saguaro National Park recently completed restoration work on the Manning Camp Trail, a backcountry route used by hikers, equestrians, park staff and the park's mule pack string in the Rincon Mountain District.

Funded through the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund signed into law by President Donald J. Trump in 2020, the project included rebuilding critical foundation and erosion-control features, clearing drainage systems, improving trail tread and removing overgrown vegetation and downed logs. The work helps protect park resources by reducing trail widening and erosion while improving safety, access and the visitor experience. It also supports the park's ability to maintain the trail more efficiently over time.

"Thanks to funding from the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund and the skilled work of Maintenance Action Teams, Saguaro National Park is pleased to provide visitors with a safer, more enjoyable hiking experience," saidSuperintendent Kelly Fuhrmann. "The park's trails program has made significant improvements to heavily eroded sections of the Manning Camp Trail, making it more sustainable for long-term use and safer for all users to navigate, including equestrian users and the park's mule pack string."

The restoration was performed by Great American Outdoors Act-funded Maintenance Action Teams composed of skilled National Park Service trail crew members and young adult interns from American Conservation Experience and Conservation Legacy. Maintenance Action Teams help the National Park Service complete projects that require traditional trade skills in a consistent, cost-effective manner while passing those skills to the next generation. Youth corps participation also supports preservation trades, job-skills training and civic engagement, all of which are central priorities for the National Park Service.

The Manning Camp Trail was originally constructed in the 1930s by the city of Tucson, University of Arizona and Civilian Conservation Corps field crews. The trail connects the Manning Camp Campground to the Quilter, Douglas Spring and Devil's Bathtub Trails. In 2012, the Manning Camp Trail was designated as part of the Arizona National Scenic Trail, which spans the state from north to south.

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