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MOAB — Sand Flats Recreation Area, located south of Arches National Park, is a popular area for riding mountain bikes, driving off-highway vehicles and camping in the outdoor recreation cluster in and around Moab.
But it may soon cost more to play in the area. The Bureau of Land Management on Friday released a proposal to raise the day-use fee from $5 per day to $10 for seven days, as well as double the cost of most camping in developed sites and other fee changes that would take place over the next few years.
Bureau officials say the changes are needed to help them keep up with the 46% increase in visitation since the current fees were last adjusted in 2016. They add that the increase in land use has worsened roads, trails and facilities within the 9,000-acre area.
"The proposed fee increases are designed to ensure we can continue to provide world-class recreation opportunities and experiences in the recreation area," said Dave Pals, the Bureau of Land Management's Moab field manager, in a statement.
Sand Flats has had recreation fees since 1996, not long after it was established as a recreation area. Andrea Brand, the recreation area's director, explains that these fees go back into the park. They help pay for staffing the area's contact station, as well as maintaining 45 miles of trails, 146 campsites and any other facility within the designated area.
Since the fees were last adjusted, park use and costs have not remained the same. Nearly 214,000 people visited the recreation area in 2021, up significantly from 146,374 visitors in 2017. Even though visitation dipped a bit to 184,115 in 2022, last year's visitation placed well above the five-year visitation average, according to the bureau. More than 99% of the campers are not from the Moab area.
This 46% growth in visitation by 2021 led to a 63% spike in toilet cleaning, pumping and waste disposal costs, and a 73% in trash collection services costs, the agency's draft plan states. That's on top of ongoing trail, campsite and facility maintenance demand.
Bureau officials add that employee wages rose by 53% while benefits jumped by 51% between 2017 and 2021, too. Grand County, which provides vital park services, raised its minimum wage to $17.29 per hour for all employees by 2021.
The plan calls for fee increases to cover the rising costs associated with the area's growth in popularity. Under the plan:
- The day-use fee would increase from $5 per vehicle to $10; however, the $10 fee would cover seven days instead of only one day.
- The cost of an annual pass would double from $25 to $50. The card allows users into the recreation area until it expires.
- The fee for campsites would be raised from $15 per vehicle to $30, while the cost of group campsites would be raised from $60 to $100.
- The $5 fee for every towed vehicle would be eliminated.
The plan is currently up for public comment before any changes are made. If approved, the changes would be implemented over the next three years.
All public comments should be sent to Katie Stevens at the BLM Moab Field Office, 82 E. Dogwood, Moab, UT 84532, or emailed to BLM_UT_MB_Comments@blm.gov. The comments must be submitted by April 22. The plan will also be reviewed by the bureau's Utah Resource Advisory Council during its May 17 meeting before the plan is potentially finalized.
