The cost of a reservation system to handle front-country camping at Congaree National Park in South Carolina is driving the cost of camping there a bit higher.
Beginning January 1, nightly reservation rates will be as follows:
- The cost of reserving a campsite at the Bluff Campground will go from $5 per night to $10 per night.
- The fee for reserving a standard campsite at the Longleaf Campground will go from $10 per night to $15 per night.
- The cost for reserving a group campsite at the Longleaf Campground will go from $20 per night to $25 per night.
The need to raise the fees is to enable the park to cover the cost of using www.recreation.gov to manage reservations at the campgrounds, the park said in a release.
"Recreation.gov charges contractor line item (CLIN) costs, ranging from $6-8 per reservation made through either the online reservation system or call center," the release pointed out. "Currently, the park assumes these costs, which are deducted from the fees collected for campsite reservations. By recovering these CLIN costs, the park will be able to reinvest these funds into enhancing visitor services and improving facilities at Congaree."
Expanded amenity fees charged to visitors for the use of facilities like the park campgrounds provide funding that can be directly invested into the improvement and maintenance of those same facilities. Over the past several years funds generated by campground reservation fees have been used to:
- Purchase and install new fire rings at the Bluff and Longleaf Campgrounds
- Build and install new picnic tables in the Bluff and Longleaf Campgrounds
- Purchase and install new lantern hooks at all campsites in the Longleaf Campground
- Mitigate ponding issues on certain campsites in the Longleaf Campground
Funds generated by expanded amenity fees have also helped with other park projects such as the design, building, and installation of a new desk in the Harry Hampton Visitor Center and the clearing of encroaching vegetation from around the picnic shelter. One-hundred-percent of all funds generated through expanded amenity fees stays within the park and can be used by Congaree National Park to continue providing the best experience possible for visitors.
Comments
High costs and a for profit scheme? The nps really outdid itself. They likely fired the staff that used to take these reservations
The war on the poor continues.. This for profit money making scam using OUR public lands needs to come to an end. Bill Gates and Booz allen have enough money.
What a crock of $%^&. Another excuse for every park in the Country to raise their campground rates to "cover" the cost of reservations. This following requiring reservations at most all federal campgrounds in the Nation. First come/first served worked just fine. Go back to that. And what happens to that reservation fee I paid up front to make the reservation.
It is a crock. And FLREA, the BS law that allows it is up for sunset next year. Tell your congress people to end this economic rape of taxpayers immediatley by sending Recreation.gov packing.
Rape is a fairly lurid and loaded word to use in that context.
Obviously some commenters expect a free ride in our national parks. The fact is that for decades Congress refused to provide enough funding for the Interior Department to maintain the parks, resulting in huge backlogs of much needed repair and improvements. Only recently did Congress provide extra funding to the NPS even though it's still inadequate. Another fact is that more and more people are visiting our parks, which is a good thing, but also places extra stresses on them. I agree that all parks should keep some casmpsites as first-come-first-served, but that requires more personnel to manage the campgrounds. Our parks are not profit-making institutions. All monies go back into the system to provide good visitor experiences. Compared to most private campgrounds, many NPS campgrounds are less expensive.
Couldn't say it better myself.