Some Utahns Are Concerned About This Proposed Change At 2 Gorgeous Canyons
Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons are some of Utah’s most beautiful canyons. Both have numerous hiking trails, picnic areas, campgrounds, lakes and amenities such as restrooms. These canyons are incredibly popular with Utahns – between 5 and 6 million people visit each year.
The U.S. Forest Service is proposing a $6-per-car fee for both canyons, which would be valid for three days. The fees will apply to only some day-use visitors. Read on to learn more about the Forest Service’s proposal.
Several day-use areas of both canyons offer amenities that have no direct funding. These areas tend to be the most popular spots in the canyon, so they need plenty of upkeep. Only people planning to visit these specific areas would pay the $6 fee. Fees collected would be used to improve the targeted areas in both canyons.
Visitors staying in the campgrounds already pay a fee to stay overnight; they would not be required to pay the $6 fee, as long as they don’t leave a vehicle at one of the trailheads for which fees would apply.
In Big Cottonwood Canyon, people parking at the trailheads for Mill D/Cardiff, Mill B South, Guardsman Pass, Silver Lake, and Donut Falls trails would pay the $6 fee.
Donut Falls is a very popular destination during summer months. It’s often difficult to find a parking spot, and the trail and amenities see heavy usage. One possible solution to this problem is to expand the winter UTA bus service to summer months as well.
Silver Lake is another popular spot. Try to find a parking spot on a Saturday afternoon, and you might be disappointed. The $6 fee could be used here to maintain restrooms and add striping to the parking lots, which would enable more cars to park without increasing the size of the lots.
Little Cottonwood Canyon’s fees would apply to parking for White Pine, Cecret Lake, Catherine’s Pass and Temple Quarry trailheads.
Cecret Lake is one of Little Cottonwood Canyon's most popular (and beautiful) hiking destinations.
In lieu of a $6 day fee, frequent visitors may choose a $45 annual pass, which would allow access to both Big and Little Cottonwood canyons, and also American Fork Canyon and Mirror Lake Scenic Byway.
Similar fees already exist at the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway and the Alpine Loop portion of American Fork Canyon. Collected fees for that area totaled $1.2 million in 2014, which funded improvements to belay platforms, a renovation of the Theater in the Pines and grooming of the ski trail along Beaver Creek.
Are you one of the millions of annual visitors to these canyons?
What do you think? Is it worth $6 to visit these canyons for the day?
