Cedar City Field Office collects fees to maintain recreation sites
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CEDAR CITY, Utah – The Cedar City Field Office will begin collecting modest fees for some recreation sites on Oct. 1, helping to support facility maintenance and outdoor recreation programs in Iron and Beaver counties.
“We are doing our best to manage recreation and visitor services for a diversity of outdoor recreation demands, while protecting and enhancing public lands and recreation opportunities,” said Cedar City Field Manager Paul Briggs. “We made it a point to keep these fees as low as possible while still collecting enough funding to help maintain these assets.”
Campgrounds affected include Rocky Peak, Carter Cabin Campsite, and Hanging Rock Recreation Area. Fees at campgrounds will be $5 per night. Group sites and pavilions will have a day use or camping fee between $20-$210, depending on group size. Fees at the Three Peaks Model Port and Radio Control Car Track will be $2 per day, with a $25 yearly pass, and $220 for an exclusive-use reservation.
Nine day-use sites will have no minimum use fees, but visitors will be asked to pay what their experience at these developed recreation areas is worth to them. These day-use sites include Three Peaks (mountain bike site, disc golf course, and off-highway vehicle site), Rock Corral, Parowan Gap, Southview Trailhead, Thunderbird Gardens Trailhead, Shurtz Canyon Trailhead, and Ironside Disc Golf Course. Revenues will be used for cleaning and maintenance of existing facilities, as well as upgrades and new amenities as funds allow.
The Color Country District Manager, based on a recommendation from the BLM Utah Resource Advisory Council, approved the recreation site business plan on Aug. 16, 2018, and BLM published a notice of intent to collect fees in the Federal Register on Feb. 27, 2019, identifying fees to be implemented on Aug. 27, 2019. The field office delayed implementation until Oct. 1 to ensure public notification. The plan is available for download at https://on.doi.gov/2lEC6yy.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.