Pipe Spring National Monument Proposes Entrance Fee Increase

Date: December 8, 2014
Contact: John Hiscock, 928-643-7105

Pipe Spring, USA – Pipe Spring National Monument is proposing a possible fee increase to take place in 2015. The current park entrance fees have been in place since 2005. Since that time, the standard entrance fee as paid on a walk-in basis at the park visitor center, has been $5.00 per person. Since 2001, with the inception of a shared, partnership visitor center and cultural museum on Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians reservation lands at the entrance to the Monument pursuant to intergovernmental agreement, entrance fees have been shared with the Tribe, with $3.50 of the current individual fee to the National Park Service (NPS), and $1.50 of the fee to the Tribe. Entrance fees are not charged to persons under 16 years of age or holders of the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Senior, Access or Military Passes. These passes may be obtained at the Monument.

The National Park Service recently called upon each National Park System site to carefully consider entrance fee increases. Of the 401 parks, monuments, historic sites, recreation areas, and other units of the National Park system, 131 (about 1/3) collect entrance fees. This range of NPS sites that collect entrance fees retain between 65% and 100% of the fees received. Pipe Spring National Monument retains 96.5% of its generated fee revenue, amounting to approximately $30,000 per year in recent years. Those additional revenues assist with the completion of visitor enhancement and facility projects at the site including visitor center and exhibit maintenance and improvements, and historic structures and cultural landscape preservation and maintenance.

At this time, the park is proposing to increase the individual walk-in entrance fee to $7.00 per person, in line with similar types of park sites nationwide. Each partner’s part of the new fee would be respectively increased with $4.90 going to the NPS, and $2.10 to the Tribe. “We want to keep the park affordable for all new and returning visitors and feel that the modest proposed increase is in line with similar fees for museum, recreational and park opportunities nationwide,” said Park Superintendent John Hiscock. “And, the small amount of fee revenue generated and retained at the park is efficiently and effectively utilized to maintain park resources and facilities and better each and every visitor’s experience.”

Superintendent Hiscock also assured: “as always, we are particularly interested in public feedback on this proposed fee increase.” Any written public comments regarding the proposed increase may be mailed to – Superintendent, Pipe Spring National Monument, HC 65 Box 5, Fredonia, Arizona 86022; or e-mailed to – [e-mail] . Comments will be accepted through January 15th, 2015. Following the comment period, feedback will determine how, or if, a fee increase would be implemented.