Would you pay a few extra dollars to camp in one of Colorado’s most popular parks?
Staff at Rocky Mountain National Park have proposed a fee change to stay in its campgrounds.
The proposed price hike would increase summer camping fees from $26 to $30 per night and winter camping from $18 to $20 per night.
In addition, the proposal included a flat rate for group sites at the Glacier Basin Campground. The fees here are currently $4 per person per night. The proposed flat rate would cost:
· $40 for a small group site (which holds 9-15 people)
· $50 for a medium group site (which holds 16-25 people)
· $60 for a large group site (which holds 26-40 people).
“Camping is very popular in Rocky Mountain National Park,” said Park Superintendent Darla Sidles. “We want to keep our campground fees affordable and provide visitors with the best possible experience. We feel that our proposed campground fee change is an incredible value.”
The current camping prices have stayed the same for the past four years.
In total, the park has five campgrounds — which includes 570 sites — open in the summer.
The Glacier Basin Campground is one of three reservation-based campgrounds in the park. The other two are Moraine Park and Aspenglen. All three typically fill up six months in advance. Moraine Park Campground has 77 sites available in the winter.
The other two campgrounds are first-come, first-serve. They are called the Longs Peak Campground and Timber Creek Campground. They typically fill up quickly, especially on Fridays and the weekends. Longs Peak usually fills up faster than Timber Creek.
All campground fees at Rocky Mountain National Park are based on comparable process for similar services in other campgrounds in the area.
Thanks to the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, each national park retains 80 percent of the money collected through its individual entrance and amenity fees, including camping. This money helps the parks pay for projects that directly benefit visitors. At RMNP, those projects have included:
· Park’s visitor shuttle system
· Renovation of all restroom facilities throughout the campgrounds
· Extensive hazard tree mitigation near facilities
· Hiking trail enhancements
The remaining 20 percent of the money is distributed throughout the National Park System.
Park staff are seeking feedback on this proposed change in camping fees. Want to share your thoughts? Email ROMO_Information@nps.gov by Sept. 27.