It will cost more to spend a night in Grand Canyon National Park's backcountry next year/NPS file

The cost to spend a night in the backcountry of Grand Canyon National Park will go up next year, as the National Park Service seeks more revenue to fund the park's permit offices and Backcountry Information Centers.

As of April 1, 2024, the $10 charge for a backcountry permit will remain the same, but the nightly per person fee will jump from $12 per person to $15 per person or stock animal camping below the rim in designated backcountry camping areas. This increase does not affect camping fees at Mather, Desert View, or the North Rim campgrounds.

A park release said this adjustment for the backcountry permit operation is designed to eliminate a funding deficit and ensure the operation will recover the actual costs incurred. Park staff couldn't put a dollar figure on the size of the deficit, but said one is anticipated because the construction tied to the Transcanyon Pipeline is expected to reduce backcountry use. Back in 2022 the park also increased its backcountry permit fee, from $8 to $12 per person per night, and also attributed the boost to a funding deficit.

When the park announced this past summer that it was moving its backcountry permit reservations to recreation.gov, it said the move would help streamline the backcountry permitting process by allowing around 80 percent of backcountry permits to be directly reserved and paid for online.

For information about permits and overnight hiking in Grand Canyon National Park, visit the park’s website at or contact the Backcountry Information Center by email here or by phone at 1-928-638-7875. Phones are answered 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday except federal holidays.