Those who have traveled through the country's many national parks will know that the entrance and car fees can be a bit of a crapshoot. Some are free entirely, some are free on certain days or times of the year while others have hefty entrance fees either per individual or vehicle.
Out West, one of the most beloved and popular parks for visitors is Zion National Park. Stretching through the canyons of Southwestern Utah, it is known for its sandstone cliffs and unique rock formations that many seek out for some stunning desert-style photos.
Related: I visited two of the country's most underrated National Parks — here's what it was like
Currently, the U.S. National Park Service charges Zion visitors depending on whether one comes by car and what kind of campsite those who stay overnight choose — $35 per vehicle for a day entrance fee and $30 per night for an electric campsite while a non-electric one costs $20 per person per night. The park is also part of the "America The Beautiful" Interagency pass that gets one unlimited entry to over 2,000 parks and landmarks for a year.
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You'll now have to pay this much more to visit Zion National Park
According to a recent announcement by the NPS, fees in 2024 will be rising from $20 to $35 per night to camp in either the Watchman Campground or South Campground. Staying at another non-electric campground, Lava Point, will rise from $20 to $25 per night. Being able to use the electricity at Zion's Watchman Campground will also go up from $30 to $45 per night.
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With the largest $20 to $35 jump increase representing a 75% increase, the new pricing will come into effect when the camping period begins in spring 2024 or July for the Watchman Campground.
Zion is also changing up the way visitors sign up for common wilderness activities such as canoeing through the river or getting closer to animals with a guide. Those interested need to apply for the limited spots on Recreation.gov up to four months in advance while the change was also NPS' chance to sneak in an application fee increase to $6 from the previous $5.
Price increases needed to 'improve accessibility and visitor service,' park says
The park currently also offers visitors the chance to camp in special "wilderness campsites" to see more animals. An "Advance Reservation" will see a steep increase from $5 to $20 per reservation while the overnight use permit fee will be changed to $7 per person from an earlier system in which one paid from $15 to $25 per group depending on its size.
As companies and organizations frequently do when announcing price increases, a Zion representative said that they would help "improve accessibility and visitor service" by keeping restrooms and the areas around the campsites clean from the effects of having millions of visitors come through the park each year.
"We adopted these changes to improve accessibility and visitor service," Zion's Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said in a statement. "These changes are going to help us maintain essential facilities like restrooms and drinking water systems, rehabilitate campsites, and simplify applications for Wilderness Recreation Permits."
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