Camping fees would go up and reservations via recreation.gov would be required under proposals made by Bryce Canyon National Park staff/Rebecca Latson file
Campground reservations and registration for full moon hikes at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah both would move to recreation.gov under a proposal the park staff has made. Additionally, the park wants to standardize camping fees for both tent campers and RVers at $30 per night in the North and Sunset campgrounds.
Currently, Sunset Campground sites are first-come, first-served from mid-May through October. Sunset’s Group Site is reservable 12 months in advance through recreation.gov and the campground is closed in winter months. North Campground sites are already reservable May through October six months in advance on recreation.gov. North Campground is first-come, first-served in winter months.
To offer visitors a more predictable planning experience, Sunset Campground sites would become reservable during their regular season six months in advance through recreation.gov. Group site reservations would remain available 12 months in advance. North Campground’s reservation system would remain unchanged.
Additionally, staff is recommending that North and Sunset campground reservations move to a flat fee of $30 per night. Currently, park campground loops are either designated for tents, or RVs and tents. In RV loops, sites cost $30 per night. In tent-only loops, sites cost $20 per night. This fee structure was established in 2015.
Cost comparison of fees at surrounding campgrounds, confusion over which vehicles are permitted in which loops, and that RV hookups are not available at any park campsites all support moving to a flat fee of $30 per night, a park release said. Generators would still be prohibited in traditional tent-only loops and generators would continue to be subject to limited operating hours in traditional RV loops.
Senior Pass and Access Pass holders would continue to receive a 50 percent discount on all campsite reservation fees.
Finally, the park staff is recommending that registration for Bryce Canyon’s popular full moon hike program be available through recreation.gov.
Currently, all visitors hoping to attend a full moon hike must be physically present at the visitor center at 4 p.m. on the day of the hike for a ticket lottery. Twenty-five individuals are selected for each hike and must then return to the park hours later to participate.
To offer visitors a more predictable planning experience, first-come, first-served full moon hike registration would become available through recreation.gov a few days prior to the hike. A $1 fee would be charged to cover the cost of online registration.
Additional information on these proposals can be found at this site, where you also can leave your comments through August 31.
