Camping will cost more this year at about a dozen Utah state parks, while a half-dozen will charge more for cars or pedestrians to enter for the day.
Most of the state parks’ budgets come from fees, said Utah Division of State Parks spokesperson Ally O’Rullian.
“These are your state parks. These are your public lands. We want you there,” she said. “But we really do try to remind people that we are paying the majority of our operational costs.”
Parks often increase prices because of rising utility costs or needed repairs, O’Rullian said. Sometimes they add amenities, like installing water or electrical hookups at campsites that didn’t have them, and need to charge for those, she said.
Park leaders also compare their prices to nearby private campgrounds and other state parks.
“We like to think of the amenities that we offer, and we want to try to be, of course, the best deal possible,” O’Rullian said.
State park visitation more than doubled between 2015 and 2025, rising from 4.5 million annual visits to 12.2 million. The wear and tear from all those visitors requires maintenance, O’Rullian said.
This year’s fee increases for day use and individual campsites are mostly in the $5 to $10 range.
The Legislature limits how much state parks can charge. The fee schedule passed in 2025 caps resident camping fees at $60 per night and resident entry fees at $25, but many parks charge less. Those caps would not change under the current proposal for the next fiscal year. Some 2026 fee changes have already been implemented, while others will take place on a later date or when new signs arrive.
But even a small increase in cost can keep low-income people from using outdoor spaces, said Olivia Juarez, public land program director with GreenLatinos. The nonprofit focuses on issues affecting Hispanics and Latinos in the United States, including access to nature.
2017 research from Utah State University found low-income people traveled to no-cost recreation areas that were farther away than areas that charged a $3 fee, even though the fee was a fraction of the total cost of the trip.
Juarez worries that higher state park entrance fees will discourage visits from low-income residents who stand to benefit from outdoor recreation.
“I think most of us can agree that we feel a sense of awe and wonder, and we just feel better when we go outside,” Juarez said.
Poverty increases the risk of health issues like obesity and chronic stress. Some doctors are prescribing time in nature, but access to green space varies by neighborhood.
“The people who really need that nature prescription are the people who should be welcomed and honestly supported into getting onto our state parks, as well as public lands of all kinds,” Juarez said.
While Utah is rife with open spaces for free dispersed camping, developed campgrounds often have amenities like toilets, running water, electrical hookups and shade canopies. There are staff or hosts nearby to answer questions. Those perks cost money, but they also make these areas more accessible to novice outdoor enthusiasts, Juarez said.
Despite the nightly fee, Juarez said many families choose to camp because it’s much less expensive than other vacations.
“Across the United States, and definitely in my culture, camping is something that people go and do because it's affordable,” Juarez said.
To make day trips to state parks more accessible, Juarez would like to see libraries across the state lend park passes to residents, as they do in Washington and California. Some libraries used to offer them, but passes can now only be used by registered passholders.
Another suggestion is free access to state parks on certain dates, like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and National Public Lands Day. Free entry, combined with instructional programs to introduce visitors to new activities, “would create lifelong parkgoers,” Juarez said.
There are no plans to launch free days, according to O’Rullian, but seniors can buy a discounted annual park pass, and disabled veterans can enter for free.
“State parks aren't here to make money,” she said. “State parks are here to reinvest in our public lands for you to enjoy.”
And that, O’Rullian said, requires paying staff to manage fee booths, work the visitor centers and clean the bathrooms.
Here's the full list of 2026 fee changes:
Macy Lipkin is a Report for America corps member who reports for KUER in northern Utah.
