HARRISON (KFSM) — The National Park Service announced Friday it would be raising camping fees for the Buffalo National River camping areas.
The fee increase will take effect on March 15. The park hasn’t raised fees since 2013, the park service said. The park service compared the Buffalo National River fees with those for similar campgrounds and held a 30-day public comment period before deciding to raise fees at certain campgrounds.
The following campgrounds will have fee changes:
- Buffalo Point Campground: Sites with electric, water, flush restrooms and showers will rise from $22 per night to $30 per night for up to 6 people.
- Steel Creek, Kyle’s Landing, Ozark and Tyler Bend Campground (all sites) as well as walk-in tent sites at Buffalo Point Campground (with water and flush restrooms, showers at Tyler Bend and Buffalo Point): Fees rise from $12-$16 rise to $20 per night for up to 6 people, and up to four stock animals per site at Steel Creek Horse Camp.
- Carver and Rush campgrounds: Primitive sites (with water, without flush restrooms) from $12 to $16 a night for up to 6 people. Originally proposed to increase to $20 a night per site, due to public comment, the park decided to reduce the increase and set the price at $16 a night per site.
- Buffalo Point and Tyler Bend Group Sites: The fee structure has been revised for group campsites to a flat rate of $50 per group per night (up to 25 people per site) from $3 per person. This represents an increase for some groups and a decrease for others, based on past use.
There will be no change at Erbie, Woolum, South Maumee and Spring Creek, which will continue to provide free camping sites with no amenities.
Pavilion fees will remain the same for the Ozark Pavilion for the day ($25) and the Tyler Bend and Buffalo Point pavilions for the day ($50 each).
Starting March 15, half of the tent and horse sites at Steel Creek Campground and half of the walk-in tent and drive-in sites at Tyler Bend will be available to reserve in advance on Recreation.gov. Those not reserved will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
More information is available at the Buffalo National River website.
