According to a story today released by ABC 7-Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park plans on increasing entrance and camping fees into the park starting in the Fall 2015.

Here's how the cost increase breakdown will occur:

  • Weekly passes will increase from $20 to $30 on October 1
  • Annual passes will increase from $40 to $50 on October 1, $60 by 2017
  • Campground fees will increase to $26 in 2016

While the increases will start on October 1st, park officials will also offer a new one day only pass which will cost $20.

According to officials, the cost increases are needed to cover maintenance and improvements that are scheduled throughout the park. 80 percent of the fees charged by the park stay within the RMNP system. The remaining 20 percent goes to the rest of the National Park System.

Entrance and camping fees are an important part of the infrastructure for Rocky Mountain National Park and 2014 is a prime example of it's importance. $217 million was spent within RMNP last year through 3.4 million park visitors. This also supported 3,382 jobs throughout the park.

This also led to Rocky Mountain National Park being the fifth most visited park throughout the United States.

 

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