Catoctin Mountain Park Proposes Changes to Fee Structure

Date: January 22, 2015
Contact: Mel Poole, 301-663-6751

Catoctin Mountain Park invites public comment on changes to facility use and special park use permit fees that will become effective May 1, 2015.

National Park Service staff will host a public meeting at the Catoctin Mountain Park Visitor Center on Thursday, January 29, 2015 from 5:00 P.M. -7:00 P.M.The Visitor Center is located at the intersection of State Route 77 and Park Central Road, 14704 Park Central Road, Thurmont, MD 21788.

The meeting will be conducted as an Open House. Attendees will be given the opportunity to review the new fee structures and maps of the impacted facilities. Verbal comments provided during the session will be recorded. Written comments are encouraged and can be submitted at the meeting, on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/cato , or to: Superintendent, Catoctin Mountain Park, 6602 Foxville Road, Thurmont, Maryland 21788. Comments may also be made via social media on the park's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CatoctinNPS.Written comments will be accepted until Monday, February 16, 2015. Interested parties who cannot attend the public hearing may also participate by calling the park conference line from 5-7 pm at 877-694-494, and entering participant's code 4202507. The meeting will be rescheduled to Thursday, February 12, in case of inclement weather.

Catoctin Mountain Park is one of 131 National Park Service units considering fee increases to fund visitor use projects and to maintain park facilities. "We are committed to keeping the park affordable while giving visitors the best possible park experience," said Catoctin Mountain Park Superintendent Mel Poole. "Fees generated through fee increases will be used to rehabilitate campsites in the Owens Creek Campground and to restore the park's 58 historic cabins."

Please visit the park website at www.nps.gov/cato for a complete listing of facility and special park use fees. The proposed fee changes are listed in the table below. Increases will be implemented on

May 1, 2015. Reservations made before May 1, 2015 for dates later in the season are not subject to the fee increase.

Catoctin Mountain Park Facility Fees
Facility	Fee per Night	Fee Amount (2014)	Fee Amount (2015)	Percent Change
Misty Mount	Cabin	$45.00	$50.00	11.1%
Misty Mount	Lodge/ Cabin 16	$95.00	$100.00	5.2%
Misty Mount	Dining Hall (Fri.-Sun.)	$355.00	$360.00	1.4%
Misty Mount	Dining Hall (Mon.- Thur.)	$105.00	$110.00	4.7%
Round Meadow	(Pkg. 1) 3 Dorms, Dining Hall, Gym	$1105.00	$980.00	-11.3%
Round Meadow	(Pkg. 2) 1 Dorm	$175.00	$175.00	0%
Adirondack Shelter	Shelter 1 or 2	$9.00	$9.00	0%
Owens Creek Campground	Camp Site, (1 of 49, 5 person sites.)	$25.00	$30.00	20%
Poplar Grove	Youth Group Campsite (1 of 3, 25 person sites)	$30.00	$30.00	0%
Special Park Use Fees
Special Park Use Fees		Application Fee(2014)	Application Fee(2015)	Percent Change
Rock Climbing		$9.00	$10.00	11%
Special Events (Races, Wedding, etc.)		$100.00	$150.00	50%
Construction		$100.00	$300.00	300%

If you have special needs to be accommodated during meeting, please contact Jennie Pumphrey at [phone]. Copies of materials presented during the meeting will be provided upon request.

Catoctin Mountain Park is one of over 400 units administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Correspondence should be addressed to: Superintendent, Catoctin Mountain Park, 6602 Foxville Road, Thurmont, MD 21788. Please visit the Catoctin Mountain Park website at www.nps.gov/cato for more information.General information can be obtained by calling the Visitor Center at (3010 663-9388.The Park Visitor Center is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. with the exception of Wednesday and Federal Holidays when the Center is closed.Emergency calls should be directed to the National Capital Region Communications Center at 1-866-677-6677.

-NPS-