Show Growth Better Roads Boost National Monuments Turnout Population growth and better roads have haw been credited as the chief factors In an eight per cent Increase of travel to Southwest Southwest- ern National Monuments during 1955 as compared to the previous previous previous pre pre- year It was announced this week by John M. M Davis general superintendent of the headquarters I office in Globe Ariz All Utah areas reported In Increased increased In- In creased visitation the greatest hike Ike being at Rainbow Bridge which showed an nn Increase of 23 21 per cent and at Natural Bridges National Monument with an Increase Increase increase In In- crease of 11 per cent The hike at Arches National Monument was two per cent The report covers 20 areas located lo lo- sated In Arizona New Mexico and Utah Of these New Mexico co set the pace for Increases with 10 per cent followed by Arizona with nine per cent and Utah with three per cent In Arizona the Chiricahua National National National Na Na- Monument proved the most popular with an Increase of Sper 54 S' per cent This was followed by Tumacacori with 21 per cent and Walnut Canyon with 15 IB per cent Smaller Increases were reported d at Casa Grande and Montezuma I Castle I II I Chaco Canyon In New Mexico drew an increase of 45 per cent cenlIn In travel and Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument had a Jump of 29 per cent One trend singled out for comment com com- comment ment Is the fact that areas formerly formerly form form- erly considered remote or inaccessible InaccessIble Inac- Inac are arc drawing more and more visitors each year These Include such areas as Gila Cliff Cliff Dwellings deep In the rugged Gila Wilderness and the two big show spots of Utah Natural Bridges and Rainbow Bridge It was also pointed out that Coronado National Memorial a anew anew anew new area In Southern Arizona still to be developed drew more than han visitors in the past year fear |