News Release

Hovenweep and Natural Bridges National Monument Reinstate Entrance Fees

Date: June 12, 2022
Contact: Sierra Coon, 970-562-4282

The National Park Service (NPS) announced today that Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments will reinstate their entrance fees to provide funding for infrastructure and maintenance needs to enhance the visitor experience. Effective June 18, 2022, at Natural Bridges and June 19, 2022, at Hovenweep, the entrance fees at both monuments will be $20 per vehicle, $15 per motorcycle, and $10 when entering by foot or bicycle. The park-specific annual pass, which covers Arches and Canyonlands national parks and Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments, is $55 and is valid for one year. Both parks will also issue all interagency annual and lifetime passes. All of the money received from entrance fees remains with the National Park Service with at least 80 percent of the revenue going to Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments.

Revenue from entrance fees remains in the National Park Service and helps ensure a quality experience for all who visit. Here in Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments, at least 80 percent of entrance fees stay in the park and are devoted to spending that supports the visitor. We share the other 20 percent of entry-fee income with other national park sites for their projects.

Superintendent Vernon Cody said, “Reinstating park entrance fees at Hovenweep and Natural Bridges helps us better serve our park visitors. It is an encouraging step toward keeping these monuments accessible and safe for people to enjoy.”

National parks have experienced record-breaking visitation, with more than 1.5 billion visitors in the last five years. Throughout the country, the combination of aging infrastructure and increased visitation has put a strain on park roads, bridges, campgrounds, waterlines, trails, bathrooms and other visitor services and led to a $11.6 billion deferred-maintenance backlog nationwide.

The revenue from entrance fees will be used at Natural Bridges National Monument to renovate the park amphitheater to increase safety, functionality, and accessibility; replace dilapidated fencing along the Owachomo Bridge trail; and replace outdated interpretive media throughout the park, including the park film, waysides, and museum displays. The revenue from entrance fees will be used at Hovenweep National Monument to renovate the park amphitheater (which is currently non-operational) to increase safety, functionality, and accessibility; replace the outdated park film; and expand the visitor center to provide better facilities, access, and interpretation.

Natural Bridges last collected entrance fees in January 2020 and Hovenweep last collected entrance fees in 2014. These parks are two of the 117 National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee. Entrance fees collected by the National Park Service totaled $199.9 million in Fiscal Year 2016.

The National Park Service has a standardized entrance fee structure, composed of four groups based on park size and type. Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments are both in Group 4, which charges the lowest fees.

For more information on either park, please visit the park's official website:
Natural Bridges National Monument (www.nps.gov/nabr)
Hovenweep National Monument (www.nps.gov/hove)