Entry sign, visitor parking area, Colossal Cave Mountain Park - Vail AZ
Description
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) carried out major work at Colossal Cave and the surrounding park north of Vail AZ (now a suburb of Tucson, but far to the east in the 1930s). They improved access for visitors to the cave itself, built a large visitors’/administration center, laid out a campground and picnic area, opened roads and trails and built a water supply system. The Arizona State Park Service oversaw the work.
We know that CCC workers built roads and trails in the park. They almost certainly built the main road up to the visitors’ center, plus the parking lot and lookout there, as well as side roads to the campground and picnic area.
It is uncertain which trails they constructed or improved, but it very likely includes the lovely nature trail down from the visitors’ center (shown here).
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Path to Overlook, Colossal Cave Mountain Park - Vail AZ
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Overlook, Colossal Cave Mountain Park - Vail AZ
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Arizona trail out of El Bosquecito picnic area, Colossal Cave Mountain Park - Vail AZ
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Nature trail, Colossal Cave Mountain Park - Vail AZ
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Nature trail, Colossal Cave Mountain Park - Vail AZ
Source notes
Audretsch, Robert and Sharon Hunt, 2014. The Civilian Conservation Corps in Arizona. Charleston SC: Arcadia Publishing. pp. 18-19.
"The New Deal in Arizona: Connections to Our Historic Landscape," University of Arizona, The New Deal in Arizona Chapter of the National New Deal Preservation Association.
https://www.library.arizona.edu/newdeal/map.htmlThe above quote and photos can be found at: https://content.library.arizona.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/NewDeal/id/210
Project originally submitted by Richard A Walker on July 31, 2012.
Additional contributions by Joan Greer.
We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.
SUBMIT MORE INFORMATION OR PHOTOGRAPHS FOR THIS SITE
I have some current pictures of other CCC contributions at this site. They include an adobe Park office and picnicking facilities. How could I post?
This is an easy, rewarding cave to visit, thanks to the stairways and handrails. There are guided tours and a cafe. OK for kids — but keep an eye on them! It’s a complex cave network.
Bandit hideout stories, weird rock formations, and a comfortable 70 degrees inside year round, no matter how hot it gets outside.
Thanks to the CCC kids who put in the infrastructure.