(St. George, UT) - The Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Strip District Office in St. George, Utah has announced the temporary closure of the Stateline Campground located on public lands 9.3 miles south of highway 89 on the House Rock Valley Road. The temporary closure began Friday, May 14, 2010 and will last for approximately three weeks while improvements and additions to the campground are completed.

The improvements are required to meet the growing use of the small campground over the years increase number of visitors to the nearby Paria Canyon Wilderness Area and internationally renowned, geologic formation known as “The Wave,” in North Coyote Buttes.

Stateline campground is frequently full to capacity; the improvements are expected reduce overflow camping in surrounding areas and decrease associated resource impacts. The improvements will make the visitor's recreational experience more enjoyable and provide increased opportunities for exploring the national monuments and the Arizona National Scenic Trail.

Site improvements include four (4) additional camp spaces, picnic tables, fire rings, shade armadas, a comfort station and a four (4) stall horse corral funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed earlier this year which gave the Department of the Interior $3 billion dollars and the Bureau of Land Management $305 million.

For more information about the Stateline Campground go to www.blm.gov

The BLM manages 253 million acres, more land than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation.

The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.