Campground closures at Little Sahara

LITTLE SAHARA RECREATION AREA - Beginning Thursday, visitors to the Little Sahara Recreation Area will find periodic road and campground closures as construction crews begin repaving roads.

Roads will be open during the Fourth of July weekend.

On Thursday, all roads from the White Sands turnoff going south will be closed until Thursday night, including the main road to Oasis, Oasis Campground, Jericho Campground and Sand Mountain, according to the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM will open the area Thursday night to accommodate visitors for the holiday weekend, except for Jericho Campground.

Crews will resume the work Tuesday, with the same closures.

Some people have vandalized construction structures and equipment, and the BLM is asking anyone with information to report it. Law enforcement will be present during the Fourth of July weekend.

The project, which will result in the repaving of 16 roads, is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the federal stimulus.

- Laura Hancock