Initially scheduled for a March 2022 opening, Box Canyon Shooting Range’s opening has been delayed time and again. Various problems pushed the projection to last November. Rains last fall pushed it back yet again. In February, a wet winter, supply-chain issues and other factors had the BLM unable to set a new projected opening date, according to a spokesman. 

In an email in February, Chris Wonderly, public affairs specialist for the Phoenix district office of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management said an opening date was undecided. 

“We’re continuing repair work on the damaged berms and roads at the Box Canyon Recreational Shooting Site,” said Wonderly. “We have repaired drainage and road damage but are experiencing material shortages. Our next steps include installing signage and barriers, and manufacturing targets. It’s important for the targets to withstand the caliber of rifles that would be allowed at the sites. The site remains closed while we finish this work. At this point, we don’t have an opening date.” 

About three months later, not much seems to have changed. 

“We are continuing the work described in the (last) email,” Wonderly said on Tuesday. “Because we implement fire restrictions annually, which includes restricting target shooting on public lands, the site will likely not open until after fire season.” 

Related: Box Canyon – InMaricopa 

The site has been a favorite place for local sharp shooters to take aim.  

In late 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation began work on improving the site by adding shooting platforms and designated shooting lane, berms, permanent targets and areas for shooting designed for various types of guns. 1,072-acre site is about 10 miles west of town, west of Hidden Valley Road. 

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

1 COMMENT

  1. We’ve waited years for this. Everything the Government is involved with takes forever and gets ruing. EVERYTHING! Anyone want to get together and build a ‘private’ range? We could have it ready in a couple months at most.