Public comments are being accepted on proposed increases in the cost of camping and backcountry travel at Death Valley National Park.
The National Park Service is proposing to increase nightly campsite fees by $4 to $8. Some backcountry permits would also become reservable in advance on Recreation.gov with a fee under the proposal.
The Park Service made permits mandatory for overnight use of the most popular backcountry areas in the park starting last year. This was done to provide high-quality experiences for people while limiting impacts. Backcountry permits are required for roadside camping along Cottonwood Canyon, Marble Canyon, Echo Canyon, Hole in the Wall, and Greenwater Valley Roads, and for backpacking in the Cottonwood Canyon and Marble Canyon areas.
Currently these permits are free but only available on the same day and in person during business hours at Furnace Creek Visitor Center or Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station. The Park Service seeks to issue these backcountry permits online through Recreation.gov and no longer issue them in person at visitor centers. This will allow people to acquire their backcountry permits online and plan in advance. The proposed transition from issuing permits in visitor centers to online will benefit other park visitors who will no longer have to wait in line while a park ranger issues a backcountry permit, which typically takes 15 minutes, Death Valley officials said in a release.
Most of the money the park charges for entrance, camping, and backcountry permits stays in the park to provide visitor services and to maintain public facilities, such as campgrounds. In recent years, recreation fees have paid for educational programs, flood repairs at Scotty’s Castle, and remodeling of Dantes View. A portion of fees charged through Recreation.gov will go to the contractor that operates the reservation service.
Camping will still be free at Emigrant Campground, Wildrose Campground, Thorndike Campground, Mahogany Flat Campground, Eureka Dunes Campground, Homestake Campground, and Saline Valley Campground.
Backcountry permits for areas not listed above will continue to be free and optional. People should check nps.gov/deva to learn where roadside camping and backpacking are allowed.
The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) requires that recreational fees are appropriate to the benefits and services provided. Fees charged by the NPS must be comparable to fees charged by others in the local area for similar benefits and services.
Death Valley National Park has not changed campground fees since 2017. Following public engagement and NPS approval, new fees up to the amounts outlined below could be implemented as soon as February 2024.
Public engagement is an important part of the park’s planning process. Death Valley National Park is accepting public comments on the proposed fee increases until October 25 online at parkplanning.nps.gov/deva11.
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