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MONTICELLO, Utah — Starting January 1, 2020, the BLM Monticello Field Office will increase Individual Special Recreation Permit (ISRP) fees charged for day use and backpacking at fee sites within the Cedar Mesa Special Recreation Management Area and expand the ISRP fee for hiking to archeological sites in Butler Wash The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004 authorizes the BLM to collect recreation fees and allows the BLM to keep the fee revenues at the local offices where they are collected. The BLM uses Cedar Mesa fee dollars to provide services at the Kane Gulch Ranger Station, improve facilities, update signage, and increase the ranger presence at archeological sites and trailheads.

These changes were authorized in the 2019 Cedar Mesa Business Plan, recommended by the Utah Recreation Resource Advisory Council on June 18, 2019. The Cedar Mesa Business Plan and other BLM Utah business plans can be found on BLM.gov at: www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/permits-and-fees/business-plans. The fees do not apply to developed interpretive sites such as the Mule Canyon Kiva, the Butler Wash Interpretive Trail, the Butler Wash Dinosaur Tracksite, Salvation Knoll, or Arch Canyon and do not affect dispersed camping within Cedar Mesa or the Butler Wash area. There are also no fees for mesa-top hiking, scenic driving, or OHV use on existing designated routes.

The fee schedule will affect in-canyon hiking and backpacking. A single fee will now be applied year-round rather than varying by season. Fees for backpacking will be $15 per person per trip. Fees for a single day of use will be $5 per person per day. The weeklong pass for day use will be $10 per person. The annual pass for day use will increase to $40 per vehicle per year, but it will now be valid for one year from the date of purchase, rather than expiring at the end of the calendar year. For example, a family of four who hikes to see a cultural site will pay $20 per day. Local families and other visitors who plan to spend more than one day in the area, may decide to purchase an annual pass for $40 which would cover everyone in the vehicle for up to 12 months from the date of purchase, no matter how many times they visit the area.

“This fee increase will allow the BLM to improve access and visitor services on public lands while providing essential protections for the cultural and natural resources that make this area so spectacular,” said Acting Monticello Field Manager Amber Denton Johnson.

For additional information, please see the attached flyer or contact Misti Haines, Outdoor Recreation Planner, at (435) 587-1519. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877- 8339 to leave a message or question for Misti. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.