‘The Wave,’ Virgin River Canyon among Arizona sites likely to see higher fees

Greg Haas
·3 min read

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — If you’ve always wanted to see “The Wave” at Vermilion Cliffs, be prepared to pay almost triple the price if new fees are approved.

A proposal to raise fees at many Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sites in Arizona includes Coyote Buttes North — home to The Wave — and many other sites including Paria Canyon, White Pocket and Virgin River Canyon.

BLM has opened public comment on its “Blueprint for 21st Century Outdoor Recreation” as it applies to areas in the Arizona Strip and other areas of the state. BLM wants to charge more for access to fee areas, and add some fees where none currently exist. The fees will be used to fund maintenance at the sites, as well as efforts to “expand and improve recreational opportunities,” according to a web page dedicated to the fee proposals. You’ll also find links to make public comment on the five separate areas covered in the proposals.

The Wave at Vermilion Cliffs. (FILE | Adobe Stock)
The Wave at Vermilion Cliffs. (FILE | Adobe Stock)

The current $7 fee to go to The Wave would become a $20 fee per person/dog. The area is controlled by a reservation system that seeks to space hikers enough to allow “alone time” in the iconic formation. The hike has been named one of the top 10 places to visit in the U.S., and it attracts international visitors.

Virgin River Canyon, just northwest of Las Vegas at the Cedar Pocket exit of Interstate 15 as it goes through the Arizona Strip, would also see higher prices. Day use fees of $2 would go up to $6. Overnight camping would increase from the current $8 rate to the proposed $22 rate. Group camping sites would be priced at $42.

BLM is quick to point out that fees at these sites haven’t increased since 2008 or earlier, and public use has skyrocketed, growing from 4.9 million visitors to 6.8 million over the past five years.

Some of the other changes proposed in the draft plan:

  • Coyote Buttes South: The fee per person/dog per day would double from the current $5 to the proposed $10.

  • Paria Canyon: Overnight per person/dog per day would double from $5 to the proposed $10. Day use fees would increase from the current $6 per person/dog to $10.

  • White Pocket: No fees are currently charged. The fee would become $10 per person per day.

White Pocket. (FILE | Adobe Stock)
White Pocket. (FILE | Adobe Stock)

  • Wild Cow Springs Campground (Hualapai Mountains): The campground in the mountains south of Kingman would go from $8 per night to a proposed $20 per night. Group sites would go from $20 up to the proposed $30 fee.

  • Lake Havasu Shoreline Sites: Increases from the current $10 day use or overnight fees to the proposed $20 rate. An annual pass would go from $100 to the new rate of $200.

  • Bullfrog Day Use Area: The area along the California side of the Colorado River in the Parker Strip Recreation Area would double from the current $5 rate to the proposed $10 fee.

Several other Arizona sites managed by the BLM are in the proposal.

Public comment is open through June 12.

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