Zion National Park has already set a new visitation record with a month left to go in 2017, a milestone that highlights concerns about overcrowding. Nearly 4.4 million people visited the park through the end of November, an increase of about 5 percent over last year.
Attendance at Zion has risen steadily over the past decade and is up some 70 percent since 2010, when there were 2.7 million visitors for the year. The new numbers come as park officials weigh a first-of-its kind reservation system and the National Park Service considers hiking fees to $70 per car during the peak summer season at several popular parks, including Zion. The plan announced in October would more than double the entry fees at 17 national parks that now charge $25 or $30 per vehicle. Prices for national park passes and senior passes would be unchanged. Officials say the higher fees are needed to address an $11 billion maintenance backlog that's built up as park funding stayed flat. Deseret News
