Camping Fee Changes for 2006

Date: November 17, 2005
Contact: Lisa Myers, 231-326-5134

Superintendent Dusty Shultz has announced that effective January 1, 2006, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will increase fees for those limited number of campsites in the park that are available through the national reservation system. Fees for first come, first served sites (non-reserved) remain the same.

The new camping fees reflect a $3.00 per night processing fee charged by the reservation contractor. The fee increase applies only to those campsites reserved through the national reservation system. Therefore, the 2006 fees for campsites reserved through the national reservation system will be as follows:

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2. D.H. Day Group Campground, Group Campsite $33.00 Per night
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4. Platte River Campground, Campsite w/ Electricity $24.00 Per night
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6. Platte River Campground, Campsite w/o Electricity $19.00 Per night
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8. Platte River Campground, Walk-In Campsite $15.00 Per night
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10. Platte River Campground, Group Campsite $43.00 Per night
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12. South Manitou Island, Group Campsite $23.00 Per night

One additional change to the 2006 fee schedule for the National Lakeshore is for individuals who are 16 years of age and older. In accordance with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (Public Law 108-447) signed on December 8, 2004 by President George W. Bush, persons who are 15-years of age and younger and enter the park by foot, bicycle, motorcycle (as a rider), or in vehicles owned or rented by an organized group not involved in commercial tours, may not be charged an entrance fee. This repeals previous legislation that prohibited anyone 16-years of age or younger from being charged. A complete listing of park fees and passes is found on our web site www.nps.gov/slbe .

This new law created a multi-agency fee authority for the NPS and four other Federal land management agencies allowing them to retain the majority of the fee revenues collected at the site and use them for improvements related to visitor use and enjoyment.

"Eighty percent of the fees visitors pay in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore stays right here, where they are used for projects that directly benefit park visitors" said National Lakeshore Superintendent Shultz. "As visitors travel throughout the Lakeshore and enjoy maintained trails, accessible restrooms, improved campgrounds, and restored historic structures, they can readily see how the fees are put to good use."

To obtain more information or provide comments, please visit the park’s website at https://www.nps.gov/slbe or write the Superintendent at 9922 Front Street, Empire, MI 49630.