Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Several of Utah's national parks are contemplating fee increases for camping, scenic drives or backcountry access as part of a nationwide proposal to help pay for overdue repairs and upgrades.
At Zion National Park, for example, the extra revenue would help the park address operational needs for the aging shuttle service, which was implemented 15 years ago and is showing signs of wear and tear.
Park officials say more than 70 percent of entrance fees at Zion are used to operate the shuttle service, which decreases vehicle congestion in the park and improves air quality by cutting emissions.
“The fee revenue is critical to the park,” said Jeff Bradybaugh, park superintendent. “Funds from entrance, camping and other fees are used to improve and maintain our facilities and provide valuable visitor services.”
Zion is proposing an increase in camping, entrance and wilderness permit fees. The last time entrance fees were increased was 2007, while current camping fees go back to 2004 and wilderness permit fees were set in 2005.
Under a new proposed fee schedule, park entry at Zion would jump from $25 to $30 a car for visits from one to seven days, a similar motorcycle admission fee would increase from $12 per person to $25 per motorcycle, and fees for individuals on foot or bicycle would increase from $12 per person to $15 per person.
The fee revenue is critical to the park. Funds from entrance, camping and other fees are used to improve and maintain our facilities and provide valuable visitor services.
–Jeff Bradybaugh, park superintendent
Camping fees and backcountry wilderness permits would increase as well.
The increases are not a given, however, and any fee hikes will happen after a public comment period and a chance for people to weigh in. The public comment period began Tuesday and continues through Jan. 23. People can leave comments at the Zion website, www.parkplanning.nps.gov/zion.
An open house for proposed fee increases at Zion, Bryce Canyon National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument is slated for 5-8 p.m. Jan. 8 at the Cedar City's Brian Head Tourism Office, 581 N. Main.
Zion is able to retain 80 percent of the recreation fees it collects, and revenue from entrance stations and campgrounds has paid for two dozen major projects since 2010, according to park officials.
Last fall, National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis outlined potential fee increases for 131 park units across the country, but parks can tailor any changes to the pricing based on community input and individual park needs.
At Golden Spike National Historic Site in northern Utah, park officials are considering fee increases that would more than double. The additional revenue would help complete some critical projects, such as renovating the Last Spike Site seating area, trail maintenance on the Big Fill Walk, and other upgrades for people with disabilities.
"We have not yet made any decisions about whether to increase entrance fees at Golden Spike," stressed park superintendent Leslie Crossland. "We hope to receive considerable input on this proposal from the local community and other interested parties, which will help us decide whether or not the fee increase, in total or in part, would be supported.”
#poll
At Golden Spike, the single-day summer entrance fee per vehicle would go from $7 to $15, and the motorcycle rate would jump from $5 to $10 under the fee schedule being considered.
Online comments are being accepted at www.parkplanning.nps.gov under the title “Proposed Fee Increase” and listed under Golden Spike National Historic Site, project number 55745. Written comments may be sent to: Superintendent, Golden Spike National Historic Site, P.O. Box 897, Brigham City, UT 84302. Email comments may be sent to GOSP_Superintendent@nps.gov. The comments are due Jan. 15.
At Arches National Park, fee hikes under consideration include a per-vehicle increase from $10 to $25.
A report issued several years ago noted the funding shortfalls being experienced in the national park system, with operational gaps as high as $500 million.
While visitation at the nation's parks has increased tremendously over the past decade, the National Park Service's budget has not kept pace. The report by the National Park Conservation Association noted that maintenance has been severely backlogged at national parks and staffing levels are inadequate to ensure visitors aren't shortchanged during their experience.
At Zion, more than 2.8 million people visited the park in 2013, contributing $150 million to the local economy.
