National Park Service announces rate increases for 2 Colorado recreational areas
MONTROSE, Colo. (KRDO) – Two Colorado recreational areas, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area, will both see fee increases heading into the 2025 visitor season, the National Park Service (NPS) announced Monday.
According to NPS, fee changes for wilderness permits on the South Rim of Black Canyon and group campsite fees for Curecanti were proposed this summer and approved in November. These changes will go into effect in January 2025.
NPS said it completed a study before approving the changes, which showed that comparable wilderness permit costs vary widely but are typically uniformly higher than current Black Canyon permits, while comparable group campgrounds have also seen significant price increases in recent years.
These increased fees will bring both parks into closer alignment with comparable wilderness permits and group campgrounds, NPS said.
NPS said the 2004 Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) authorizes the National Park Service to charge fees for recreation amenities at national parks. The law requires that recreational fees are appropriate to the benefits and services provided, and comparable to fees charged by others in the local area for similar benefits and services.
80% of the fees collected at Black Canyon and Curecanti will remain at the parks to fund projects such as the rehabilitation of trails, upgrades to campgrounds, and improvements to water, sewer, and solid waste systems. The remaining 20% will be utilized agency-wide.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park changes:
A permit is required for wilderness use at the park. Starting in April 2025, day and overnight use of Black Canyon's South Rim wilderness routes (Warner, Gunnison, and Tomichi) will be available for reservation on www.recreation.gov for trips between May and October. Red Rock Canyon is already on the reservation system.
Permit fees will now be $6, plus an additional $4 per person per permit. To minimize resource impacts and maintain wilderness character, wilderness use permits will be issued for no more than three nights and for a maximum group size of up to four people.
Wilderness permits will be available online only through www.recreation.gov for trips between May and October (not in-person at the Black Canyon Visitor Center). Permit holders will still be responsible for paying the park entrance fee.
Permits for hiking wilderness routes off of the South Rim and at Red Rock Canyon from November through April will be available first-come, first-serve at the visitor center when open or by self-registration outside of visitor center when it is closed.
Curecanti National Recreation Area changes:
The Curecanti group campsite at East Elk Creek, which accommodates between 9 and 50 individuals, will now have a nightly fee of $120. The smaller group campsite at Red Creek, which accommodates between 9 and 20 people, will have a nightly fee of $60.
Learn more about Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and wilderness routes by visiting the park website, www.nps.gov/blca and learn more about Curecanti National Recreation Area at www.nps.gov/cure.
