The National Park Service is proposing to increase camping fees at Bandelier National Monument/NPS file

Higher nightly fees are being proposed for the picturesque Juniper Family Campground and the Ponderosa Group Campground on the rim of Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico.

Monument staff have opened a public comment period on the proposed increases, which are the first for individual campsites since 2005 and the first for the group sites since 1995. Under the proposal, nightly fees for individual sites would go from $12 to $20, while group sites would go from $35 to $50.

These proposed fee increases are based on comparable fees for similar services in nearby campgrounds, the staff said. Under the proposed fees, Bandelier will continue to offer half-priced camping for Interagency Senior pass holders and Interagency Lifetime Access pass holders.  

The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act is the legislation that allows the park to collect expanded amenity fees, such as camping fees. This law allows parks like Bandelier National Monument to retain nearly 100 percent of fees collected in the park for use on projects that directly enhance the experience of park visitors. Camping fees collected at Bandelier stay in the park and are used on campground upkeep, maintenance, and management. These fees are also used on projects that directly improve the camping experience for park visitors. Some past projects that have been completed using camping fees are: 

• Campsite Maintenance and Upkeep – Hazardous tree and vegetation removal in and around campsites annually with work performed by youth work crews  

• Improved Accessibility - Installed new concrete walkways surrounding comfort station A and B in 2022 

• Visitor and Wildlife Safety – Installed bear boxes in every campsite in 2020 

• Comfort Station Rehab – Rehab and upgrade of interior and exterior of comfort stations in 2017 

• Infrastructure Rehab – Road and drainage rehabilitation, installed new lift station in Loop C, and replacement of all signs in 2009 

The proposed camping fee increases are necessary to improve and maintain a high-quality camping experience, a Bandelier release said. While basic park operations are funded by direct appropriations from Congress, the expanded amenity fees collected by the Bandelier are used to support new projects and the ongoing maintenance of campgrounds that directly enhance the visitor experience.  

Bandelier is also proposing to make a portion of Juniper Campground available for advanced reservation through Recreation.gov. Under the proposal, camping Loop A (15 sites) will remain first-come, first-served all year. Camping Loop B (15 campsites) will be reservable year-round, and Camping Loop C (19 campsites) will be made reservable March through October. Loop C is closed annually November through February.  

Allowing advanced reservations of campsites will provide 24/7 ease of reservations; offer park visitors the convenience and flexibility to plan their trip ahead of time and make changes to reservations when needed; and provide peace of mind knowing a campsite is waiting when they visit Bandelier. A partial reservation system will also help reduce the administrative burden placed on park staff allowing for that time to instead be spent on improving and expanding visitor services as well as enhancing visitor safety and resource protection in Bandelier.  

Bandelier National Monument is proposing the new camping fees take effect October 1, 2023, with the launch of online reservations for Loop B & C campsites to begin in late summer or early fall 2023. 

The park invites the public to submit comments through April 24 via the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment and Public Comment website. 

Comments on the park’s related social media posts will not be officially accepted. All public comments must be received through PEPC or postal mail by April 24.

The purpose of Bandelier National Monument is to protect, preserve, and interpret an outstanding portion of the Pajarito Plateau, including one of the largest concentrations of Ancestral Pueblo archaeological sites in the American Southwest. The park provides opportunities for people to connect with and enjoy a diversity of cultural and natural resources, striking scenery, wildlife habitats, remnants of a volcanic landscape, and wilderness.