Arizona News – The Coconino National Forest is proposing changes to recreation fees at various recreation sites on the forest to help maintain highly-visited sites and standardize the recreation pass program for all forest visitors.
Most recreation sites on the forest will not require a fee, with more than 67% of sites on the forest remaining free for general public use and enjoyment. The forest will continue to honor the suite of “America the Beautiful” Interagency Passes and Red Rock Passes at all standard amenity fee sites and provide several fee-free days throughout the year. Also, the Sedona Shuttle program, which provides free transportation from two Park and Ride lots to popular recreation fee sites, will continue to operate.
In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) which allows the Forest Service to retain at least 80% of the money collected at recreation sites and use these funds locally to operate, maintain, and improve these sites. Revenue collected through recreation fees would help the forest improve infrastructure at recreation sites and fund additional recreation staff during the season of operation. Recreation fees help provide quality recreation opportunities that meet the modern expectations of visitors and creates a more financially sustainable recreation program for future generations.
Concessionaire-managed sites on the Coconino National Forest have separate fees and will remain unaffected by the proposed changes – including Beaver Creek Day Use, Call of the Canyon (also known as West Fork), Crescent Moon Ranch and Grasshopper Point.
The proposed fees by site are as follows.
Boating sites and picnic areas
Boating site fees for CC Cragin and Knoll Lake sites are proposed to change per vehicle from $0 to $10 per day, $0 to $30 per week, and $0 to $60 per season. Boating site fees for Narrows and Upper Lake Mary $15 to $30 per week, and $20 to $60 per season. There is no proposed change to the day fee for the Narrows and Upper Lake Mary boating sites.
Picnic site per-vehicle fees are proposed to change from $5 to $10 per day, $15 to $30 per week, and $20 to $60 per season. This includes the Banjo Bill, Bootlegger, Dry Creek Vista, Encinoso, and Halfway picnic areas.
Observation sites, day use areas and trailheads
The Midgley Bridge Observation Site per-vehicle fee is proposed to change from $5 to $10 per day, $15 to $30 per week, and $20 to $60 per season.
Day use area and trailhead fees within the Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River corridor are proposed to change from $0 to $25 per vehicle per day. This includes Fossil Creek Bridge, Homestead, Mazatzal, Purple Mountain, Sally May, and Tonto Bench day use areas, and the Dixon Lewis and Irving-Flume Trailheads. These permits will be available on recreation.gov with an additional reservation fee of $6.
Per-vehicle fees for other trailheads are proposed to change from $5 to $10 per day, $15 to $30 per week, and $20 to $60 per season. This includes the Baldwin, Bear/Doe Mountain, Bell, Bell Rock Vista, Boynton Canyon, Bruce Brockett, Cathedral Rock, Courthouse Vista, Fay Canyon, Huckaby, Jim Thompson, Little Horse, Mescal, and Yavapai Vista trailheads.
Interpretive and heritage sites
For Honanki Ruin and Lava River Cave interpretive sites, fee rate per vehicle is proposed to change from $5 to $10 per day, from $15 to $30 per week, and from $20 to $60 per season.
Crane Petroglyph Heritage Site and Palatki interpretive visitor center per-vehicle fee rates are proposed to increase from $5 to $10 per day, $15 to $30 per vehicle, and $20 to $60 per season.
Cabins and lookouts
Lookout or cabin night fee rates are also proposed to change. The nightly fee for Buck Mountain Lookout is proposed to change from $0 to $75 for a group of up to four people.
The nightly fee for Mormon Lake Guard Station is proposed to change from $0 to $100 for a group of up to eight people. The nightly fee for Crescent Moon Ranch Cabin is proposed to change from $200 to $235 for a group of up to 10 people. These sites are available on recreation.gov with an additional reservation fee of $8.
We want to hear from you.
The public is invited to comment on the proposed recreation fee changes by close of business on Sept. 5, 2025 by:
- Mail to Coconino National Forest, Attention: Brian Poturalski, 1824 S. Thompson St., Flagstaff, AZ 86001
- Email to comments-southwestern-coconino@usda.gov
- Online comment at https://arcg.is/1KzWzz
- Oral comment in person at the Coconino National Forest to Brian Poturalski during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
- Oral comment by phone at 928-527-3474 and indicating you would like to provide comments on the proposed recreation fee changes.
Once public involvement is complete, these recreation fee changes will be reviewed by the Bureau of Land Management Resource Advisory Committee. Committee members represent a broad array of recreation interest groups to help ensure that the Forest Service is proposing reasonable and publicly acceptable recreation fees. The committee will submit their recommendation to the Regional Forester for a final decision.
For more information, visit our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino.
