COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — Grand Canyon National Park may soon be raising the cost for staying overnight at its Mather, Desert View and North Rim campgrounds.
Park officials are currently seeking feedback for raising the camping fee from $18 per night to $30 per night. The park still intends to offer a 50% discount for seniors and access pass holders.
The rate increase is scheduled to take effect April 1, 2025.
The rates for equestrian, group and walk-up sites would remain unchanged.
Grand Canyon officials can retain 80% of its recreation fees to spend on improving services and visitor experiences.
In 2023, the Grand Canyon reported having over 240,000 overnight tent and RV stays at the national park. A couple of years ago, the park raised its nightly fee for staying at the backcountry camping areas.
Citizens can submit feedback on the rate changes by visiting this website. The comment period ends on Dec. 15.
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How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
