The Bureau of land Management is taking comments on draft Recreation Business Plans the agency says will modernize the way recreation sites are managed but would cost users twice as much to access.
BLM says a study of statewide recreation sites shows fee rates are below market rates, while visitation numbers are up.
Gerald Davis, BLM Arizona Deputy State Director for Resources and Planning, says “The updated plans would enable the BLM to improve services and add amenities in order to ensure these sites provide the exceptional experiences that visitors to public lands deserve.”
The plans would impact sites within the Kingman Field Office, The Arizona Strip Field Offices Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area, the Phoenix District’s Recreational Shooting Sites, and the Vermillion Cliffs National Monuments Paria Canyon/Coyote Buttes Special Management Area and White Pocket.
An interactive map provided by BLM shows the proposed increases. For example, camp site fees along the shoreline of Lake Havasu would double from $10 to $20 for day rates and overnight camping. The annual pass would also increase from $100 to $200.
A day pass for the Bullfrog Day Use Area in the Parker Strip would double from $5 to $10.
Many recreation site fees have not been changed since 2006.
BLM notes outdoor recreation is an $11.7 billion industry in Arizona. Recreation opportunities on BLM-administered lands contribute more than $276.2 million to Arizona’s economy.
View the interactive map of projects and the suggested fee changes here.
