Are User Fees a Fair Solution for Public Lands Management?

May 2, 2022

Federal agencies, like the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM), use entrance and amenity fees to fund operations and limit visitation numbers at crowded destinations.

After the the BLM enacted an entrance fee and reservation system for the main loop road in Red Rock National Conservation Area (RRCNA), visitors flocked to this free area. In 2019, 700,000 people visited the site – a number the BLM expects to jump to one million by 2024. Because of this increase, the BLM is considering imposing a $20 day-use fee to access Calico Basin, too. Because for many Americans, a $20 fee means the difference between a day out with their family and a day at home. Adventure Journal