News Release

Campground Fee Increase 2024

Date: April 5, 2024
Contact: Chris Mengel, [phone]

TULELAKE, CA – Lava Beds National Monument is seeking public comment on proposed increases in expanded amenity fees for the Indian Well Campground and the Indian Well Campground Group Campsite. The park is also proposing to make the Indian Well Campground Group Campsite reservable through Recreation.gov.

Current camping fees are $10/night for individual campsites. Camping fees for the group campsite site are per night: $3.00 per person, minimum of $45.00 to a maximum of $60.00. Proposed camping fees are $20/night for individual campsites and a single flat rate of $60.00/night for the group campsite. Under the proposed fees Lava Beds will continue to offer half priced camping for Interagency Senior pass holders and Interagency Lifetime Access pass holders. This is the first camping fee increase since Lava Beds implemented the $10.00 camping fee in 1985 for individual campsites and first increase for the group site that was first constructed in 2005.
 

	Standard Campsite	Group Site
Current Rates	$10/night	$3.00 per person, Minimum of $45.00 to a Maximum of $60.00/night
Proposed 2024 Rates	$20/night	$60.00/night

The proposed camping fee increases are necessary to improve and maintain a high-quality camping experience. While basic park operations are funded by direct appropriations from Congress, the expanded amenity fees collected by Lava Beds are used to support new projects and the ongoing maintenance of campgrounds that directly enhance the visitor experience. Costs to include supplies and labor, have risen. Campground fee increases are based on comparable fees for similar services in nearby public and private campgrounds. This pricing structure is also comparable with similar National Park campgrounds in the Southern Oregon and Northern California.

Lava Beds is also proposing to make the group site available for advanced reservation through Recreation.gov. Reservations will continue to be made up to 3 months in advance. The group site will continue to be reservable April through October. 

Allowing advanced reservations of the group campsite will provide 24/7 ease of reservations; offer groups the convenience and flexibility to plan their trip ahead of time and make changes to reservations when needed; and provide peace of mind knowing the group campsite is waiting when they visit Lava Beds. A partial reservation system will also help reduce the administrative burden placed on park staff allowing for that time to instead be spent on improving and expanding visitor services as well as enhancing visitor safety and resource protection in Lava Beds.

Lava Beds National Monument is proposing the new camping fees go into effect October 1, 2024, with the launch of online reservations for the group campsite to begin in the spring of 2025. Public comment is open April 5, 2024, to May 5, 2024.

The comment period begins April 5, 2024 and ends on May 5, 2024. The public can submit comments online by visiting ParkPlanning - Proposed camping fee increase. (nps.gov). To comment select the “Open For Comment.” The comment link is only valid during the comment period.

For those who wish to comment by mail, please send comments to:

Superintendent
Lava Beds National Monument
P.O. Box 1240
Tulelake, CA 96134

Please be aware that entire comments, including personal identifying information such as address, phone number, or email address may be made publicly available at any time. Although commenters can ask us to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.