Mesa Verde National Park says entrance fees help the park perform safety work at places life Cliff Palace/NPS

At the beginning of the year, Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado followed through on its proposal to raise entrance fees and extend the park’s summer season, when rates are higher, by nearly three months.

Previously, summer season ran from Memorial Day weekend at the end of May through Labor Day weekend at the beginning of September. The new fee structure extends high season from May 1 to October 31.

Seven-day entrance for a private vehicle will now run $20 in the summer and $15 in the offseason. Motorcyclists will be charged $15 (summer) or $10 (offseason), while individuals on bike or foot will pay $10 (summer) or $7 (offseason). In addition, the annual park pass now costs $40, up from $30.

The higher fees went into effect on January 2. Tour fees were not changed.

“We are committed to keeping the park affordable, but we also want to provide visitors with the best possible experience,” Superintendent Cliff Spencer said in a release. “The money from entrance fees is used to improve visitor facilities and amenities.”

According to the park, entrance fees have supported purchasing and installing water bottle filling stations and drinking fountains; providing additional visitor educational opportunities at Wetherill Mesa; construction of new restrooms; and stabilization work at Spruce Tree House and Cliff Palace cliff dwellings. Upcoming projects include rehabilitation of the Morefield Amphitheater, additional stabilization work at archaeological sites throughout the park, maintaining and updating infrastructure, and additional visitor educational opportunities.

Park staff accepted comments on the fee increase last August and September, and an open house in September. According to Mesa Verde, “the majority of responses received by the park were supportive of the increase.”