Camping fees are inching up at Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments in Utah in a move to tackle deferred maintenance and bring pricing in line with campground fees at Arches and Canyonlands national parks.
According to a release from the parks, the fees were last raised in 2018. Since then, the cost of supplies and labor have increased. Additionally, comparability rate studies have been completed to ensure that park campground rates do not undercut business at private campgrounds in nearby communities. This pricing structure, which takes effect January 1, also brings the Hovenweep and Natural Bridges campgrounds into line with similar campgrounds in the other Southeast Utah Group parks, the National Park Service said. Increased camping fees will provide additional revenue to fund campground operations and deferred maintenance projects, it added.
The Natural Bridges campground has 13 first-come, first-served sites, the Hovenweep campground has 31 first-come, first-served sites.
Recent projects completed at Natural Bridges include rehabilitation of the mesa top trails, repairing the shade structures at the picnic area, and current work on upgrading the campground amphitheater and trail. Recent projects completed at Hovenweep include repairing tent pads at the campground, replacing the damaged cattle guard at the park entrance, and ongoing preservation work on several ancestral Puebloan structures. Most projects were completed by employees hired from local communities.
In the fall of 2021, Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments solicited comments on proposed fee increases. During the public comment period, the parks received 12 comments. Of the comments received, five supported the proposed fee increase as presented, two suggested larger fee increases at Natural Bridges National Monument, four were opposed to any fee increases, and one was undetermined.