CARLSBAD, NM – In compliance with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA), Carlsbad Caverns National Park proposes increasing the general admission fee from $10 to $12 per person (age 16 and older) beginning October 1, 2017. Visitors 15 and younger will continue to be admitted for free. Thirteen years ago, FLREA was established to ensure recreation fees are reinvested to improve visitor services and provide similar experiences for future visitors. Prior to 2004, all national park fees collected went into the General Treasury Fund.
The National Park Service manages 417 sites throughout the country, of which less than half charge fees under FLREA. Between 80 -100% of recreation fees collected at sites stay at those sites, and the remainder supports sites that do not collect recreation fees, or do not collect sufficient fees to maintain recreational opportunities.
FLREA funds, or “fee monies,” are used for a variety of projects to improve visitor enjoyment and safety. Carlsbad Caverns National Park has used fee money to address deferred maintenance projects which are not covered by the park’s base budget. Some of these projects have included redesign and renovation of the visitor center ($10 million), structural steel replacement in the secondary elevator hoistway ($5 million), redesign and build of the park’s 300,000-gallon fresh water tank ($500,000) and currently, $5 million is slated to be spent on the modernization of the primary elevators to be completed in May 2018.
“Your general admission pass is good for three full days in an awe-inspiring underground world. We also offer free ranger activities including nightly bat flight programs during the summer and star party events one weekend per month,” said Carlsbad Caverns National Park Superintendent Doug Neighbor.
To comment on the proposed fee increase, emailcave_park_information@nps.gov, by phone 575-236-1352 or mail your comments to Fee Increase, 3225 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad, NM 88220.