State Park Fees

[Scott P]

This is just an observation, rather than a complaint, but has anyone noticed that the park fees for some of the Utah State Parks have more than doubled?

Goblin Valley raised the daily entrance fee to $15 and the camping fee to $30, or $45 if you have two cars. Reservation fee on top of this is $12, so each (small, not group) campsite is $42/$57 a night.

Deadhorse Point Entry is $15 for a day pass and camping is $35 plus the $12 reservation fee = $47.

[twotimer]

Yeah, I noticed. There are newer mnt. biking trails up at Deadhorse that I like to ride. I wouldn't stay at Goblin Valley, though...there's plenty of free camping close by. I don't mind the fees so much, as they have to pay someone to clean those places up, etc...

I remember nearly 30 years ago it cost about five bucks to stay/visit just about anywhere outside the Nat. Parks. Oh well...it costs a small fortune to hang out a week in Zion, too. They've actually got homeless backpackers sleeping in the bushes there.

[Sandstone Addiction]

I just noticed on the Goblin Valley website that, in addition to the entry fee, they now charge $2 per person to rappel into the Goblin's Lair/Chamber of the Basilisk.

[Scott P]

They've actually got homeless backpackers sleeping in the bushes there.

And canyoneers. Hotels are really expensive in Springdale and there really aren't that many places to camp in the vicinity.

[erial]

La Quinta, LaVerkin, la bonne affaire

[Scott P]

La Quinta, LaVerkin, la bonne affaire

I just looked up their rates. $290 per night after taxes in the busy season.

[Iceaxe]

And canyoneers. Hotels are really expensive in Springdale and there really aren't that many places to camp in the vicinity.

I used to spend at least 5 or 6 weekends a year in Zion but seldom visit anymore because the cost of the trip has become ridiculous. And I'm not someone that is shy about burning money when it comes to my enjoyment. I can actually spent a week in Mexico, including airfare for the same as it costs for a long weekend in Zion. And I don't have to deal with the headache of trying to get permits and working trips around the permits and days I get them. The crowds are also becoming crazy.

Zion has become a joke,

[middlefork]

I buy the annual pass and it pays for itself in short order as I visit one or another state park almost weekly.
I'm not a fan of elbow to elbow camping so I very rarely pay the camping fee. That being said they seem to be maintained better than a lot of other campgrounds.

[Sandstone Addiction]

The hot showers in the state park campgrounds are sweet!

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[Rob L]

....I can actually spent a week in Mexico, including airfare for the same as it costs for a long weekend in Zion.... (my snip)

I can spend a weekend in Poland for less than it costs me to stay at home, with flights GBP9.00 each way for a 1.5-hour flight (with advanced planning) but I empathise with the excessive costs of the now super-expensive hotels/meals etc near US NPs. Last November we stayed in Green River, because Moab accommodation was so dear. Supply & demand I guess :wink:

Rob

[Iceaxe]

I guess I should have stated a week in Mexico on a sandy Caribbean beach at an all inclusive resort for less then a long weekend in Zion.

[rockgremlin]

I guess I should have stated a week in Mexico on a sandy Caribbean beach at an all inclusive resort for less then a long weekend in Zion.

That's just crazy.