Rocky Mountain National Park will increase its one-day vehicle pass price and camping fees, park officials announced Wednesday.
The one-day vehicle pass price will increase from $25 to $30 beginning May 27. Officials say the fee increase is needed to "improve and maintain high-quality visitor services."
Campground fees will also increase. Beginning Oct. 12, winter campground fees will increase from $20 to $30 a night. Summer campground fees will increase from $30 to $35 a night beginning next summer. Group site campground fees will increase by $10 for each tier in group size.
Park officials say the increase in campground fees will cover costs related to trash removal, vault toilet and custodial servicing, general site maintenance and snowplow operations in the winter.
The Longs Peak Campground, which opens in the summertime for tents only, will remain at $30 per night due to a lack of flushable toilets, plus campers need to bring their own drinkable water.
"Park staff are committed to keeping Rocky Mountain National Park affordable and providing all visitors with the best possible experience," officials said in a press release. "This fee increase is still an incredible value when considering other comparable family and recreational experiences. These campground fee increases are based on comparable fees for similar services in nearby campgrounds. In addition, 80 percent of those funds stay right here in Rocky to benefit visitors."
In 2020, 3.3 million people visited the park and spent an estimated $224 million in local getaway regions, according to park officials. Last year, 4.4 million people visited the park. Spending data for 2021 will be available later in the year.