OCR Text |
Show Inflation hasn't spared recreation Utah State Parks ' ' Be forewarned the Utah State Parks have begun charging entrance fees 12 months a year. By Nan Chalat Without meaning to offend anyone I must say that the State Park Ranger's face at Rockport's entrance gate last weekend was not a welcome one. Certainly he would be the first person we would call on if a camper was stuck, if a boat capsized in the middle of the lake or if the neighboring campers were too rowdy but his presence at the entrance gate meant that the parks had already begun charging day-use and overnight over-night fees. Park Ranger Lyle Gingery has been taking the flak gracefully. "The rangers have been instructed to collect fees 12 months a year in order to make up for state-wide budget cuts," he explained. In the past, the Utah State Parks have paid approximately 20 percent of their operating costs from income derived directly from the park users. This year they will be required to meet 40 percent of that cost. That cost, as you can imagine, has risen in keeping keep-ing with the outrageous rate of inflation which has affec- ted everything else. It should be no surprise then that all of the park fees have increased. Day use fees have doubled (from $1 to $2). Overnight fees vary from $3-$6 depending depen-ding upon the available facilities (representing a $1 increase over comparable fees last year). The Utah State Park Fun Tag. which gives the purchaser free day use of any state park and a $2 discQunt on the overnight fees has jumped from $20 to $35! There is, however, still a Special Fun Tag, free to senior citizens (over 62) and to anyone who is permanently per-manently disabled. I have always opted for the Fun Tag. Like a season ski pass, it means that you can pop in for a quick swim or a short hike without feeling obligated to spend the whole day. The Fun Tag admits one whole car or truck or van load of friends so it more than paid for itself. But $35? Gingery quickly pointed out that actually the Fun Tag this year was a better deal we would only have to use the park 18 times to justify the expense instead of 20 times. The logic seemed a bit skewed but I had to admit he was right and I bought the tag. I also promised myself that I would set new records for park use this year. Once inside Rockport financial fin-ancial justification for the decision was irrelevant. Rockport Reservoir and its shoreline are as beautiful as ever. Hiking through the junipers, scrambling over the rocks and watching the ice melt are enough to give anyone a raging case of spring fever. .Now, before the summer throngs arrive to crowd the campgrounds, is a perfect time to enjoy all of the state parks. In a few weeks, Antelope Island will be a prime place for bird watching, watch-ing, and the parks down south (Dead Horse Point and Escalante Petrified Forest) will be in full spring swing. There are 44 state maintained main-tained recreation areas in Utah, offering as great a variety, from alpine climbing to desert trekking, as you could find anywhere in the country. Remember that the Fun Tag is your entrance ticket to any of the state parks. Wasatch and Summit County residents will find four state parks in their own backyard, Rockport Lake, Wasatch Mountain State Park, Deer Creek Lake and Strawberry Reservoir (administered (ad-ministered by the Rangers at Deer Creek). Rockport and Strawberry are favorites among the fishermen. So is Deer Creek, but its reputation reputa-tion as Utah's windsurfing capital is also noteworthy. Wasatch Mountain State Park is a haven for golfers and its campsites are among the most elaborately equipped equip-ped in the state. There are 22,000 rolling acres within the park's boundaries including inclu-ding a 27 hole golf course. According to Wasatch Mountain Moun-tain State Park's Superin-tendant Superin-tendant Earl Kohler, the park operates at capacity nearly all season long. The park caters almost exclusively exclu-sively to overnight campers rather than day use visitors with electric and water hookups to almost each of the 145 campsites. (Specially constructed tent sites do not have electrical or sewage hookups but do have water taps at each site.) Last year, 790,000 visitors were logged in at Wasatch Mountain State Park. According Accor-ding to Deer Creek's Superintendent, Super-intendent, Leo Cox, one-half million people visited the area last year. "I'm afraid people don't understand the amount of visitation we have here," he commented. Which brings us to a very important point. The Utah State Parks accept reservations reserva-tions for most of their choice 1 s". .,... , - ... . .t. j'' 1 TV -- - - ---v - - v J t 1 fit - .V . " . ' Jt " - - - ' ; - 2 1 . - ' t -S I I - ; -. I The view overlooking Rockport Reservoir from the newly developed Cedar Point Campground. "" Mini 1 1 11. , rr-ir- 11 ,i 1 a u nil 1 - m The Wasatch Mountain State Park Visitors Center and surrounding facilities, the golf course club house, restrooms and picnic pavilion display the use of native pot rock. IlicicOn i ne reason from the Utah State Parks? We should, of course. That is why even though there is still snow on the ground, we are talking about boating and camping. We want FOCUS readers to get a jump on the season, to have their boat on the launch and their reservations reserva-tions in hand before anyone else has unpacked their Bermuda shorts. Reservation and information numbers for Summit and Wasatch County recreation areas are listed below. A complete list of Utah's 44 state parks is available at each park's entrance gate. Deer Creek Lake State Recreation Area, 654-0171; Rockport Lake State Park, 336-2241,336-2167; Wasatch Mountain State Park, 654-3961, 654-3961, 363-3232. :. t 1 - J i 1 ! v.- . ? " .-- . ' ' : j f : A ' ! v ' 'A i 1 ,f r "'- f " f - 'I camping and group use sites. Reservations for this summer sum-mer are underway, on a first-come first-serve basis. Mr. Cox explained that 13 of Deer Creek's 100 tent and camper sites are already reserved for the opening of the fishing season (May 30). So it is not too early to start thinking about your summer vacation. The reservation system is a mixed blessing. It assures those who have traveled a great distance that they won't be turned away from their favorite campground but for those who travel without an itinery, it can create disappointments. The parks do try to maintain a few sites for spontaneous travelers but the prevailing trend is to allow reservations for most of the campsites. At Wasatch Mountain State Park, there are 145 campsites and two group parilions, which are available by reservation, up to three months in advance. Rockport does not impose a three month limit. It began accepting individual reservations reserva-tions Jan. 2 for the park's Juniper Campground and for various group reservations. Rockport's newest campground, camp-ground, Cedar Point, will be opening Memorial Day weekend on a first-come first-serve basis. Rockport and Deer Creek also have boat storage facilities which can be rented for the summer. The spaces are limited and are in great demand so inquiries should be made as soon as possible. Who should benefit most " r ' ' 'r. : ' v :' According to Wasatch Mountain State Park Superintendent Superinten-dent Earl Kohler, the facilities are almost always full to capacity. The Youth Conservation Corps is responsible for constructing construc-ting many of the new facilities at the state parks. j . V ?4' ' 7 I ' ' ' 'r " ',; " Until the summer season begins, the park rangers will be responsible for collecting entrance fees. The rangers though will delegate that task to two seasonal helpers. L le x Gingery said that Rockport will soon he interviewing people peo-ple to fill those positions. Willie Wilson, Mormon pioneer, polygamist, poet, farmer, miner and militia member, is toe only private citizen buried within Wasatch Mountain State Park's 22,(M)0 acres. He was burit-d sitting up at his own request so that he could always watch over his favorite view. |