Utahraptor State Park

[Corban_White]

Looks like another great free camping area is getting restricted and fees charged.

Utah Legislature approves bill to create 2 new state parks

A bill to establish new state parks in Grand and Morgan counties cleared the Utah Legislature on Thursday.

www.ksl.com

The state just can't stand to see popular camping/recreation areas that they can't regulate and profit from. Happened many years ago in American Fork Canyon, Happened a few years ago with the expansion of Goblin Valley state park (law passed expanding the park boundaries but as of the last time I visited-one year ago-it had not yet been implemented). 5 Mile Pass has been on the chopping block for a while, I wonder how much longer it will last. Wouldn't surprise me to see a fee station at the turn off to Little Moab before long. 😥

 

[Houndoc]

Difficulty is maintaining the areas, protecting resources, dealing with the irresponsible folks etc without the fees.

 

[glockman]

Difficulty is maintaining the areas, protecting resources, dealing with the irresponsible folks etc without the fees.

How much money do you think AF canyon generates? Every weekend there is a line 500 yards long at the pay booth pretty much all day. Every dollar collected was supposed to stay there. Maybe it does, but if so, it goes to the cave, not the picnic areas, trails or maintenance. The cave should be self sustaining, not milk all the money from the users in the canyon who aren't going to the cave. This is my problem in general with fees for usage areas. I'd be more than happy to contribute if the money stayed at the place it was collected and improve that area.

 

[UNSTUCK]

Hmmmm. I’ve been pretty happy with Utah’s state parks. The $75 annual parks pass is very affordable and with over 25 trips to state parks each year my family gets way more than our monies worth. If 5 miles pass and little Moab became parks and got at least a vault toilet my family would be plenty happy, at least my wife and daughters.

Just wish Pineview would become a park too so we wouldn’t have to pay extra to get on that water.

 

[Mouse]

Just paid for our annual state park pass with the Davis county causeway use fee - $115. Was surprised it jumped so much this year. We go to Antelope island often, but hit the others as time allows.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Pretty much reminds me of this problem/solution...

 

[Kevin B.]

The area between the Bar M and Klondike Flat is hammered right now with primitive campers. It makes me sad but I think a park and some camping restrictions are necessary or it's going to turn into a wasteland in short order.

 

[Herzog]

Pretty much reminds me of this problem/solution...

View attachment 135426

SPOT ON.

 

[Corban_White]

The area between the Bar M and Klondike Flat is hammered right now with primitive campers. It makes me sad but I think a park and some camping restrictions are necessary or it's going to turn into a wasteland in short order.

IMO the reason Willow Springs is so crowded is the lack of dispersed camping around Moab. It is the closest (and one of the only) free camping areas to town. Locking up more free camping areas is only going to increase the pressure.

 

[Kevin B.]

IMO the reason Willow Springs is so crowded is the lack of dispersed camping around Moab. It is the closest (and one of the only) free camping areas to town. Locking up more free camping areas is only going to increase the pressure.

You're not wrong. It's a vicious cycle.