Campers and bike riders heading to Henry Coe state Park,
Hollister Hills and all other state-owned parks this summer will
see a jump in fees to access the areas starting July 1. Fees at
Santa Clara County parks also will rise July 1, the first increase
in seven years.
Campers and bike riders heading to Henry Coe state Park, Hollister Hills and all other state-owned parks this summer will see a jump in fees to access the areas starting July 1.
Fees at Santa Clara County parks also will rise July 1, the first increase in seven years.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation said the climbing admission fees are expected to raise $900,000 to help maintain the parks.
“[The fee increase] might affect some people who don’t visit the park that often,” said Park Ranger Stuart Organo, from Coe Park. “I don’t think it will affect regular visitors.”
Daphne Greene, deputy director of the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division of California State Parks, said in a press release: ‘‘Visitation at the State’s Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Areas continues to increase at record numbers, and as a result the cost of taking care of these facilities has gone up as well.’’
Roy Stearns, deputy director of communications, said visitation of the recreational parks, like Hollister Hills has gone up 20 percent in the past five years.
The increase will also help offset a $15 million reduction in the department’s general fund budget set to take affect the same day the fees go up.
Santa Clara County Parks has based its July 1 increase on a thorough analysis of fees charged at state and other county parks to make sure they are still in line with other park prices.
Under the Board of Supervisors policy adopted in June 1999, the Parks Department park use fees must be “no less than the average of all use fee comparisons compiled through a market fee analysis.”
Vehicle entree fees will rise from $4 to $5 and the currently free Lifetime Senior and Lifetime Disabled passes will cost $65. Car/tent camping fees will go from $15 to $18 for two cars and two pets per campsite. Off season (Nov. 1-Feb. 28) car/tent camping fees will be $9.
While the cost to launch a powerboat remains the same, a standardized fee for both power and non-power vessels will cause an increase from $3 to $5. All park permits can be purchased at their current levels through June 30.
Annual vehicle entry passes are available for $4 to residents who qualify as low-income. For details, call 355-2200.
The Santa Clara Parks and Recreation Department consists of more than 44,000 acres of regional parklands, trails, lakes, streams and open space in 28 parks located throughout the county.
Details on California State Parks: www.parks.ca.gov or Santa Clara County parks: www.parkhere.org/
