Proposal seeks to modernize campgrounds at national parks

Food trucks. Wi-Fi. Hot showers. Those campground upgres could be coming to a national park near you. Interior Department is reviewing recommendations to modernize campgrounds at national parks. recommendations posted online this week come from an visory committee created under former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke that has been looking at ways for private businesses to operate on public lands.

vice chairman of Outdoor Recreation visory Committee, Derrick Crandall, said many campgrounds don’t meet visitors’ expectations. Allowing private sector to run m would free up park staff for interpretation, safety needs or or visitor services, he said.

Redesigning some campgrounds, and ding running water, tent and cabin rentals, food trucks, extended family sites and Wi-Fi at select parks also could boost revenue and encour more people to stay overnight, committee said.

“We’re basically suggesting that would be a way to improve overall camping experiences,” Crandall said. “Are we talking about pricing people out of national parks through this? t at all.”

Interior Department isn’t obligated to enact recommendations but has said it doesn’t have money to modernize more than 1,420 campgrounds in its system r does every campground need upgres.

“Once report is reviewed, we’ll respond accordingly,” department spokesman Nicholas Goodwin said.

Environmentalists say proposal would price out some visitors and benefit special interest groups. committee largely is me up of representatives from tourism, manufacturing, hospitality and recreation industries.

More than one-third of country’s 419 national park units have campgrounds that range from primitive, backcountry sites with amenities to campgrounds that are easy to reach by ro. About 6% are operated by concessionaires, according to committee. Few campgrounds have amphiaters, Wi-Fi, electricity or hot showers year-round.

Interior Department disputed reports that it would turn to privatizing campgrounds to reduce a nearly $12 billion backlog in maintenance at national parks, including $331 million needed for campgrounds.

Gift shops, whitewater rafting, mule rides, bicycle rentals and hotels are some of services that alrey are contracted to private businesses at more than 100 national park units, ncy said.

Campgrounds at Grand Canyon in Arizona, Yosemite in California, Zion in Utah, Rocky Mountain in Coloro, Acia in Maine and Assateague Island National Seashore off coast of Virginia and Maryland have highest occupancy rates within Park Service.

More than 9.2 million people stayed at campgrounds last year, led by tent campers, people traveling in RVs, backcountry campers and those staying at sites run by concessionaires, Park Service said.

committee suggested selecting five to 10 national park sites by December, including those with low visitation numbers, for a pilot project on upgres.

Larger campgrounds that alrey are operated by concessionaires at places like Yellowstone in California and Grand Teton in Wyoming would be a good place to start, Crandall said. committee also raised possibility of expediting environmental reviews for projects and black-out dates during peak visitation times for senior citizens who get discounts of campground fees.

Clay Cutler, who lives in Coloro Springs, Coloro, said he doesn’t need much when he goes camping, just a flat piece of ground to pitch a tent, a fire ring and good company.

“I’m t going and looking for Wi-Fi,” said Cutler, 31. “That’s 99 percent of reason I go camping to get away from that and enjoy nature.”