The National Park Service wants to boost camping fees at both Natural Bridges and Hovenweep national monuments/NPS file

Increasing costs and a lack of federal appropriations are leading to proposed increases in camping fees at Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments.

While camping fees at the two monuments in southern Utah were last raised in 2018, prior to that they had been unchanged for "at least 20 years," according to the National Park Service. At the same time, there's a concern that the campground fees shouldn't undercut fees charged at private campgrounds in the area.

Under the proposals, the fee at Natural Bridges would bump up a dollar, to $16 a night, while at Hovenweep it would be boosted by $5 a night, to $20.

"Increased camping fees will provide additional revenue to fund campground operations and deferred maintenance projects," a Park Service release said. "Recent projects completed at Natural Bridges using Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act funds include rehabilitation of the mesa top trails, repairing the shade structures at the picnic area, and current work on upgrading the campground amphitheater and trail.

"Recent projects completed at Hovenweep using FLREA funds include repairing tent pads at the campground, replacing the damaged cattle guard at the park entrance, and ongoing preservation work on several ancestral Puebloan structures," the release added.

Further details on the proposals should be posted at this page, where you also can leave comments on the proposals.