Red Rock fee hikes discussed

People who walk, hike, jog and bike into Red Rock Canyon who've enjoyed a free pass for 13 years can expect to soon be paying a $3 entrance fee if a citizens advisory panel today adopts Wednesday's recommendation by its recreation subcommittee.

Horseback riders and mountain bikers who also have ridden free will be asked to pay for an annual pass on an honor system to support maintenance and operation of facilities.

And the price of a carload of visitors will increase two bucks, from $5 to $7, with motorcyclists paying another dollar, up to $3, to enter the 13-mile scenic drive that loops through the park's majestic sandstone cliffs.

In its draft business plan, the Bureau of Land Management, which operates the national conservation area west of Las Vegas, states that the additional fees are needed to maintain the integrity of the park's resources over the next 10 years in light of inflation, growing crowds of visitors and less federal funding for day-to-day operations and public safety.

BLM planners had considered doubling fees for motorists, but as the economic downturn sunk in while they were drawing up their plans over the past two years, they decided a lesser fee request was in order, said Tim Wakefield, manager of the BLM's Red Rock and Sloan canyons field office.

"One of the reasons not to go to $10 was because the economy is down," he told the recreation subcommittee and 28 members of the public who attended the meeting at the new Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center to voice concerns and support for the fee hikes.

Locals who would buy a $30 annual pass would spend about 13 cents per day for it "to help protect Red Rock for future generations," he said.

The 15-member Mojave-Southern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council will consider the subcommittee's recommendation today at 9:15 a.m. at the BLM's district office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive. If approved, it would be sent to the BLM state director for final approval.

The recreation subcommittee, chaired by John Hiatt, endorsed the fee increase plan Wednesday with four conditions:

■ Providing a free pass for people who volunteer 40 hours per year at Red Rock National Conservation Area.

■ Offering an "annual support pass" for $30 for everyone including equestrian and mountain bike users who would be asked to pay at parking areas and trail heads where there are no fee collection booths. An annual passport currently costs $20.

■ Patterning the annual pass after the federal lands America-the-Beautiful pass that allows the cardholder and three guests to enter Red Rock Canyon without additional charge whether as pedestrians or bicyclists.

■ Establishing an electronic bypass lane at the scenic drive entrance so that annual pass holders can scan their cards and don't have to wait for collection from day-fee users.

The bulk of fee collections occur at the entrance to Red Rock Canyon's scenic loop, which put nearly $1.6 million in the local BLM's till during 2008, when the BLM planners said they were considering a fee increase.

Gwen Abbott said charging bicyclists the same as motorcyclists sends the wrong message to people who are trying to exercise and reduce pollution and consumption of fossil fuels.

"We're leaving from our houses and riding the loop," Abbott said about bicyclists. "You're defeating the purpose of the environmental impact when you're charging someone on a bike."

Lisa Caterbone, member of a local bicycling group, said any fee should reflect the user's carbon footprint, which in her case is 'tremendously less" than from motorists.

"Three dollars? That's pretty steep. I could see $1," she said.

Dr. Kenneth Osgood said the advisory panel needs to consider the health and economic impacts of charging people on foot who use the park for exercise.

"We have an epidemic of obesity," he said, adding that free access should be available "for those who walk or ride or use their own energy."

Bicyclist Sonny Murphy said fees "are irrelevant. The problem is, do we get the safety from this? I ride the loop. It's downright dangerous. Why don't we have shuttles and get all the cars out of this place and disallow anything with a motor on it?"

A number of volunteers at the canyon spoke in favor of fee increases.

Contact Review-Journal reporter Keith Rogers at krogers@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0308.