Proposed Changes to Campground and Full Moon Hike Reservations at Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is seeking public comment on its proposal to standardize campground reservations between North and Sunset Campgrounds, standardize campground fees between tent and RV loops, and move Full Moon Hike reservations online.

Please provide all comments through this website or via email by August 30, 2023. These comments will be considered and formulated before our proposal is forwarded to the Washington office for approval. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Allana Olbrich
Acting Superintendent, Bryce Canyon National Park

Proposal 1: Standardize Campground Reservations
Bryce Canyon is recommending that campsite reservations for both North and Sunset campgrounds be available through Recreation.gov.

Currently, Sunset Campground sites are first-come, first-served from mid-May through October. Sunset's Group Site is reservable 12 months in advance through Recreation.gov and the campground is closed in winter months. North Campground sites are already reservable May through October six months in advance on Recreation.gov. North Campground is first-come, first-served in winter months.

To offer visitors a more predictable planning experience, Sunset Campground sites would become reservable during their regular season six months in advance through Recreation.gov. Group site reservations would remain available 12 months in advance. North Campground's reservation system would remain unchanged.


Proposal 2: Standardize Developed Campground Reservation Fees
Bryce Canyon is recommending that North and Sunset campground reservations move to a flat fee of $30 per night.

Currently, park campground loops are either designated for tents, or RVs and tents. In RV loops, sites cost $30 per night. In tent-only loops, sites cost $20 per night. This fee structure was established in 2015.

Cost comparison of fees at surrounding campgrounds, confusion over which vehicles are permitted in which loops, and that RV hookups are not available at any park campsites all support moving to a flat fee of $30 per night. Generators would still be prohibited in traditional tent-only loops and generators would continue to be subject to limited operating hours in traditional RV loops.

Senior Pass and Access Pass holders would continue to receive a 50% discount on all campsite reservation fees.


Proposal 3: Full Moon Hike Online Registration
Bryce Canyon is recommending that registration for its popular full moon hike program be available through Recreation.gov.

Currently, all visitors hoping to attend a full moon hike must be physically present at the Visitor Center at 4 p.m. on the day of the hike for a ticket lottery. 25 individuals are selected for each hike and must then return to the park hours later to participate.

To offer visitors a more predictable planning experience, first-come, first-served full moon hike registration would become available through Recreation.gov a few days prior to the hike. A $1 fee would be charged to cover the cost of online registration.

80 percent of fee revenues are reinvested directly back into Bryce Canyon National Park for the benefit of park visitors. Recently these fees have funded replacement of campground picnic tables, trail rehabilitation projects, new wayside exhibits throughout the park, and operation of the park's shuttle system. Future fee-funded projects include upgrades to campsite tent pads, park facility maintenance, and additional interpretive and education programs.

How to Comment
The preferred manner for providing comments is via an online form through the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website, used by the agency to manage official correspondence and analyze public comment in the planning process. Comments may also be submitted in writing to:

Superintendent
Bryce Canyon National Park
PO Box 640201
Bryce, UT 84764

Document Content:

Fee changes-for public comment.pdf   (0 Bytes, PDF file) Proposed fee changes table.docx   (13.2 KB, .docx file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.