Wupatki, Sunset Crater Volcano, and Walnut Canyon National Monuments to Host Public Meeting on Proposed Fee Increases

Date: January 8, 2015
Contact: Cecilia Shields, 928-526-1157

Wupatki, Sunset Crater Volcano, and Walnut Canyon National Monuments to Host Public Meeting on Proposed Fee Increases

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA –The Flagstaff Area National Monuments-Wupatki, Sunset Crater Volcano and Walnut Canyon, is seeking public comment regarding increasing entrance fees into the three monuments and fees for the overnight Crack-in-Rock hike at Wupatki.

·The proposed per person entrance fee at Walnut Canyon would change from $5 to $8 for a seven day pass.

·The proposed combined per person entrance fee at Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki would change from $5 to $10 for a seven day pass.

·The proposed monument's annual pass would increase from $25 to $40.

·The proposed fee increase for Crack-in-Rock Overnight Hikes at Wupatki would change from $50 per person to $75 per person. 

The proposed timeline for increasing the fees is January 1, 2016 for the entrance fees and October, 2015 for the Wupatki Crack-in-Rock Hikes. 

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 monuments. Interagency Passes, which are honored at all federally managed land units, are not affected by the proposed fee increase and will remain at $80 for the Interagency Annual Pass, $10 for the Senior Pass and free for the Access or Military passes.

The additional revenue from the fee increase would be used to enhance visitor services, restore and rehabilitate monument facilities, provide additional interpretive programs, and increase resource protection. Projects that have been completed with fee revenue include: renovation of the historic ranger cabin at Walnut Canyon, stabilization of archeological sites at Wupatki and a new ADA accessible trail at Sunset Crater Volcano. Revenue generated from the proposed fee increase will be used to upgrade visitor center exhibits and redesign the Lenox Crater Trailhead. Additional revenue for Crack-in-Rock Hikes will be used to cover costs incurred from conducting the overnight hikes.

A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 15, 2015 from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at the Flagstaff Area National Monument Headquarters Building, 6400 North Highway 89 Flagstaff, Arizona, 86004.

The public is also invited to comment at the following website:https://parkplanning.nps.gov/FLAGfees or the following email address:e-mail us. The public engagement period will be open throughSaturday, January 24, 2015.

Following the public engagement, feedback will determine how, or if, a fee increase would be implemented.

A National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 501,010 visitors to the Flagstaff Area National Monuments –Sunset Crater Volcano, Walnut Canyon, Wupatki, in 2013 spent $27,615,500 million in communities near the monuments. This spending supported 349 jobs in the local area.

-NPS-