PORTIONS OF CINDER CONES FLOATED AWAY BY LIQUID LAVA
CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT, IDAHO

county of Coconino would execute and deliver to the United States a good and sufficient deed to the Bright Angel Toll Road and Trail, conveying all of its right, title, and interest therein to the United States of America. With the appropriation made in accordance with this understanding the superintendent of the park was directed to take up with the proper officials of Coconino County the matter of purchasing the trail, and arrangements have been made for the sale of the trail at public auction. There has also been carried into the estimates for the 1926 fiscal year an item of $100,000 for commencing the construction of an approach road from the National Old Trails Highway to the south boundary of the park on the condition that no part of this fund shall be expended until the Secretary of the Interior shall have obtained from the proper authorities of the county of Coconino satisfactory guaranties of the payment by said county of $100,000 to be expended in the construction of the road.

With the sale of the Bright Angel Trail, thus opening it to the free use of visitors to the national park, and should Congress approve the item contained in the 1926 estimates and make the appropriation called for, $200,000 for the construction of the south approach road would become immediately available. This approach road will be not only an asset to Coconino County but to the entire State, and to the park, and its completion at an early date under continuing appropriations by Congress is practically assured.

New sewage disposal plant needed

The outstanding need of the park at present is a new sewage disposal plant to replace the one now in use which is totally inadequate, obsolete, and a menace to the health of the Grand Canyon community. This plant was constructed 19 years ago and since then there has been an enormous increase in the annual number of visitors to the park and in the permanent residents of the community, and it should be replaced at once by a modern system.

Auto camp grounds more conveniently located

At present auto campers must carry water a considerable distance and many complaints against this inconvenience result. Conforming to the new development plan, the principal camp ground will be moved about a half mile west where it will be possible to install a gravity water supply. The excessive cost of water will probably never permit the use of flush toilets on the camp grounds, but with that exception the new camp grounds will be as interesting and comfortable as any in the park system. A campers' community house will be installed to provide excellent delicatessen service, a reading room, shower and tub baths, and many other conveniences."

South rim lands overgrazed

Park lands on the south rim have been and continue to be overgrazed. Permits for grazing stock on park lands have been reduced, but while permits for grazing on the adjacent national forest lands

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are being issued it would be impracticable to refuse park permits, as there are no means to provide against stock trespassing on park lands. Grazing permits are not issued for the Grand Canyon Village area yet it is full of cattle at all times. Owners of the cattle make no apparent effort to keep them out of the area and in fact gates are repeatedly left open and fences torn down. During May and June of this year many cattle died from lack of water and feed and park rangers had to devote much of their time to removing the carcasses. Rain early in July somewhat alleviated conditions, but in August they again became deplorable. In an effort to control the drift of cattle, three expensive cattle guards are being constructed but in the final analysis it probably will be found that the only way to keep cattle out of the village area is to keep them out of the park.

United States commissioner for park needed

The nearest United States commissioner is located at Flagstaff, a distance of 85 miles. He does not have authority to assess fines or impose prison sentences. He can, however, providing there are sufficient grounds, bind an offender to appear before the United States district court at Prescott. The appointment of a resident United States commissioner with the same authority as that delegated to the United States commissioner in other national parks would do much to remedy an embarrassing situation. Several park rangers should also be appointed deputy United States marshals to serve without pay.

Travel increases despite restrictions

Considering the quarantine by Arizona against California on account of the hoof-and-mouth disease and wide publicity given forest fires in California, the increase in travel to Grand Canyon National Park was most gratifying and is an indication of the enormous increase the park would have enjoyed had normal conditions prevailed. The increase was due to motor travel and in that respect the tendency of travel is the same as in other national parks.

North rim development too long delayed

The development of the wonderful north rim section of the park has been too long delayed and should be begun as soon as possible. Here is located one of the few remaining virgin forests of the United States which should be retained in that condition as nearly as is consistent with reasonable accessibility and comforts to the visiting public. The development of this region as tentatively outlined, consists of roads to Cape Royal and Point Sublime, a group of Park Service buildings near Bright Angel Point, gathering the water of several springs and pumping it to Bright Angel Point from where it will be distributed by gravity and the erection of several ranger cabins. As a means of facilitating travel from the south to the north rim, stretches of the Kaibab Trail must be rebuilt, notably where it traverses the Granite Gorge on Bright Angel Creek. A modern highway with a bridge near Lee's Ferry should also be constructed from the south to the north rim.