A segment of the Arizona National Scenic Trail is now closed to the public as border fence construction continues along the state’s southeastern edge.
In a social media post Monday, the National Park Service said the closure was necessary to “ensure visitor safety” amid construction and blasting activity in the area.
The closure, which applies to the trail’s southernmost mile, will likely last through the end of 2027, according to the Arizona Trail Association, a Tucson-based nonprofit.
“We knew this was going to happen at some point, especially under this administration,” Matthew Nelson, the association’s executive director, told AZPM this week.
Last year, the Department of Homeland Security awarded nearly $310 million to Fisher Sand & Gravel Company to build 27 miles of new border fence in southeastern Arizona.
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