# Fee Increase



## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

To protect the resource that designation was supposed to protect?

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/12/28/hiking-fees-set-double/


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

One more reason to avoid national parks in my book.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Bummer, but I guess if you declare it, people will come (and pay). It isn't such a hit on the local economy after all. :shock:



Lone_Hunter said:


> One more reason to avoid national parks in my book.


Couldn't agree more, but we can thank Zinke and Stewart for Gobert National Park.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Gobert National Park just shows how out of touch Stewart is. Zinke too but he is gone.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I like it, if you want to use it then pay a fee. The old rates were almost freebees for the hikers and those who want to use our National Parks and Monuments. 

Now after saying that I'm glad that I picked up my lifetime pass for $10.00 and know a lot of seniors that never did and are pissed off now that the lifetime pass is up to $80.00. 

But it is still worth the money.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

Another example of how we need a new model for conservation/preservation. Putting a big spotlight on sensitive archaeological sites is not a smart form of protection.

Glad I was able to visit the area 15 years ago when you could still find solitude even during the prime season. Not to mention the experience in the fringe season.

Prices aren't horrible given how long it's been since an update but we are slowly pricing many people out of the experience.


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Lack of solitude is number 1 on my list on why I don't go to National parks. Their basically outdoor amusement parks, and your always in line for something. I hate waiting in lines. I'll take the backcountry of northern Utah any day of the week over over most anything in southern Utah. It's too touristy, and too tame. Granted northern Utah isn't exactly untamed either, but southern Utah is way worse.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

backcountry said:


> Putting a big spotlight on sensitive archaeological sites is not a smart form of protection.


Yep.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

One thing we could do is stop giving non-US citizens a free ride. Charge them double or triple and maybe even set aside some days for citizens only.
The over crowding is almost always non-citizen tourist flooding in by the bus load. These are our "sacred grounds" and not the worlds!


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Lone_Hunter said:


> Lack of solitude is number 1 on my list on why I don't go to National parks. Their basically outdoor amusement parks, and your always in line for something. I hate waiting in lines. I'll take the backcountry of northern Utah any day of the week over over most anything in southern Utah. It's too touristy, and too tame. Granted northern Utah isn't exactly untamed either, but southern Utah is way worse.


Funny story. In the late 60's I was going into the Wind River range and saw very few people in week long trips. The Sierra Club decided it needed saving so they started a campaign to save the area. Result people everywhere.

We ended up going to Grand Teton National Park as it was less crowded.

And although I spend the most time in Northern Utah there are still more than a few areas down south that are uncrowded.

Biggest problem I have anymore is the I 15 corridor in Salt Lake and Utah county.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

BPturkeys said:


> One thing we could do is stop giving non-US citizens a free ride. Charge them double or triple and maybe even set aside some days for citizens only.
> The over crowding is almost always non-citizen tourist flooding in by the bus load. These are our "sacred grounds" and not the worlds!


I'm guessing this is exactly how the native Americans felt (feel?) about the white man.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

BPturkeys said:


> One thing we could do is stop giving non-US citizens a free ride. Charge them double or triple and maybe even set aside some days for citizens only.
> The over crowding is almost always non-citizen tourist flooding in by the bus load. These are our "sacred grounds" and not the worlds!


Lol.


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## bowdude (Aug 11, 2019)

Like Vanilla... I too picked up my lifetime senior pass for $10. Even some state parks will accept them. Visited one in Oregon that did. I noticed that the lifetime pass is also good for some national forests. I am unclear if it works for Mirror Lake Highway. I am of the option it is, but have not checked it out. Great deal for us old folk. Even at $80 if you visit many parks.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

It's good on Mirror Lake Hwy, as is the standard interagency pass. Just stop in to get one of the rear view window hangers and you are good to go.


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## bowdude (Aug 11, 2019)

Thanks back country for the conformation. I will have to figure out how to make it work with a mirror hang tag from a self pay station. Any thoughts?


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

Lone_Hunter said:


> Lack of solitude is number 1 on my list on why I don't go to National parks. ...
> ... I'll take the backcountry of northern Utah any day of the week over over most anything in southern Utah. It's too touristy, and too tame. Granted northern Utah isn't exactly untamed either, but southern Utah is way worse.


Huh?

I nearly spit my coffee out at my screen reading that.
But, deep down, it makes my heart warm reading it.

The Rudy Gobert Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument is over 1 million acres! You could probably fit the entirety of "the backcountry of northern Utah" into this monument by itself!! And that is just one small piece of southern Utah.

if you can't find solitude in southern Utah -- YOU'RE LAZY!!

but, again, that's what warms my heart.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

Other than Bryce and Zion it's hard to find crowds bigger than N. Utah down south. Yeah, GSENM attracts a ton more tourists in the last decade but as PBH highlighted, it's easy to escape them. Only time I've been disappointed was during a govt closure which pushed national park tourists into dispersed areas. Even then we found solitude.

Bear's Ears is another example. So much land compared to visitor numbers. Impact is increasing but it's still easy to find solitude.

Not to the countless other desert areas we explore. But I'm also fine with people choosing not to visit down here.


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

Be very careful here. A few years back the state was looking for more money and wanted to charge hikers, bird watchers and yes, (treehuggers) a fee to have access to the wild places. Hunters and fishers were all on board to make them pay their fair share. Eventually hunters and fishers came to their senses and stopped the silly notion. They realized that once they pay, they have a voice, their voice was for non-consumptive use and it could get loader if they have to pay and get that voice. be very careful what you wish for.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I hate to say it but they already have a voice on what goes on in the wilds of Utah and all the rest of the country. 

They do it at the ballot box, just take a look at Colorado and the ballot initiative to reintroduce wolves. They did it a number of years ago when they changed all the bear hunting there along with banning trapping mostly. If you don't think that they are not in Utah working on the same things you better look again 

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

Other stakeholders definitely have a voice already nor does a fee dictate entry into discussions about managing public resources. The only change would be the possibility of those stakeholders being better organized in response to fees but there already a ton of organizations for non-consumptive users flexing their muscles in that region.


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

They have a voice, but right now hunters and fishers can say they pay for habitat enhancement and management and that goes a long way in final decisions. 

Look what happened in Utah with stream access. Those with more money (Farm Bureau and private property owners) flexed their muscles at the state capitol and WAM! 2,700 miles of once accessed water is now off limits. Once off limits you may never get it back, which seems to be the case in Utah.

Once these non-consumptive entities start tossing $$$ towards the Utah politicians, you can bet hunting and fishing will take a big hit.

You can already feel it. Hikers do not want to hear motor vehicles, drones, gunshots, or see men in camo with bows infiltrating their solitude. Mountain bikers, equestrians and fishermen are not even safe.

The days of parading around with your kill are almost over.


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