Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is seeking public comment on possible increases in the park's entry fees. The proposal is to raise the basic entrance fee from $3 to $5. Anyone wishing to learn more about the changes, or make comments on them, is invited to a meeting to be held on Tuesday, January 27. The meeting will take place at the Gila National Forest office in Silver City located at 3005 East Camino del Bosque. The meeting will take place between 1 and 3 PM. Interested persons are welcome to come at any time during those hours.
For further information about the meeting please call Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument at 575-536-9461 or contact the Superintendent at hugh_hawthorne@nps.gov. Please do not contact the United States Forest Service. Although the meeting is being held at their office in Silver City, this is not a USFS fee increase, as Gila Cliff Dwellings NM is operated by the National Park Service.
In addition, public comment about the proposed increases can made at the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/gilafeeproposal, we ask that all comments be submitted by January 30, 2015.
While basic park operations are funded by congressional appropriation, the additional revenue derived from entrance fees helps provide the expected level of visitor experience. Projects funded by fees in the past year include repairs to the Cliff Dwellings Trail, a new Park Movie, and upgrades to the Contact Station. Future projects include new exhibits at the Visitor Center, Interpretive Displays on the trail, and safety and accessibility upgrades to both the Visitor Center and the Contact Station. Fees to not go to paying salaries of permanent employees or infrastructure upgrades that do not directly benefit the visitor.
The rise in entrance fees, if implemented, will not affect visitor under 16 years of age, who will still be free. It will also not affect anyone entering the park using one of the Federal Land Passes, such as the Senior Pass, the Access Pass, the Active Military Pass or the Federal Annual Pass.
The public meeting is an opportunity to show either support or opposition to the proposed fee increase.
Information from Gila Cliff Dwellings