Rocky Mountain National Park is proposing a $5 increase to the daily vehicle entrance fee, which would raise the price for a day pass from $25 to $30.

There are no proposed changes to the park weekly pass at $35 per week, park annual pass at $70 per year, or any of the interagency American the Beautiful passes. However, the park is also proposing increases to front-country campground overnight fees:

• Summer campground fees would increase from $30 to $35 per night at Moraine Park, Glacier Basin, Aspenglen and Timber Creek Campgrounds.

• Winter campground fees would increase at Moraine Park Campground — the only campground open in the winter season — from $20 to $35 per night.

• Group campsite fees in Glacier Basin Campground would increase by $10 per night. This would increase the price for group sites from $40, $50 and $60 per night to $50, $60 and $70 per night depending on the size of the group.

Park officials said these proposed campground fee increases are based on comparable fees for similar services in nearby campgrounds.

Officials explained that the proposed fee increases are necessary for Rocky Mountain National Park to maintain and upgrade visitor services.

While basic park operations are funded by direct appropriations from Congress, recreation fees collected by the park are used to support new projects and the ongoing maintenance of park facilities.

The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act allows the park to collect entrance and amenity fees, and parks like Rocky Mountain National Park can retain 80% of the fees collected in park for projects that directly enhance the experience. The remaining 20% is distributed throughout the National Park System.

Some of the projects funded through the collection of entrance station and campground fees at Rocky Mountain National Park include hazard tree mitigation, hiking trail repairs and improvements, wilderness campsite work, bear management, and restoration of the historic rock walls along Trail Ridge Road.

Rocky Mountain National Park is accepting public comments on the proposed fee increases through Jan. 7, which can be submitted to https://parkplanning.nps.gov/RMNP_FEES_2022.

Comments can also be mailed to:

Rocky Mountain National Park

Office of the Superintendent

1000 US Hwy 36

Estes Park, CO 80517

The public should be aware that any personal information included in the comment could be made publicly available at any time.