Time up? Grand County votes to send letter to Interior opposing Arches timed entry

MOAB — Grand County leaders are calling on the Department of the Interior to consider other options than a reservation system at Arches National Park, citing concerns about the impact it has had on park visitation.

However, not all residents — and county leaders — are sure it’s the best approach to handle the situation.

The Grand County Commission voted 5-2 on Tuesday to approve a letter that they plan to send to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, following some last-minute edits and a fairly lengthy debate. The letter asks Burgum to consider other options to handling park visitation, such as a “modern” shuttle system, adding a new northern park entrance, building a new bike path in the park or expanding park trails to disperse vistation.

“We believe that targeted infrastructure improvements, rather than a timed entry system, are a better path forward to benefit visitors and the local economy,” the letter states.

Visitation is unquestionably down since Arches National Park implemented its timed-entry pilot program in 2022, in response to the transportation headaches caused by record visitation during the previous year.

Total visits fell from 1.8 million in 2021 to 1.46 million in the following year. It’s remained about the same every year since. It recorded 767,163 visits over the first half of this year, which is up almost 12,000 from 2024, but nearly 150,000 people below 2021, according to park data.

Why visitation is down is a bit more murky. The data appears to indicate that there’s some sort of “capacity problem” created by the system, which has kept visitation stuck at the same number over the last few years after a decade of mostly year-over-year growth, said Grand County Commissioner Brian Martinez, as the commission discussed the letter.

Experts have pointed to various trends since 2021, a record-breaking year for Utah’s national parks, which may have or could contribute to lower visitation at Arches and other “Mighty 5” parks. Factors include lingering travel restrictions, global inflation and record-high gas prices, foreign currency values and, more recently, U.S. foreign relations.

Whatever the case might be, the county writes that it is concerned the reservation system could be “limiting visitation and harming our local economy.” County officials have commissioned the University of Utah Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute to study the economic impacts associated with the lower visitation, which is referenced in the letter.

The effort was inspired by a national parks executive order that President Donald Trump issued earlier this month. In sending a letter about the issues now, Martinez said it could help ensure Grand County has a “seat at the table” to ask for long-desired infrastructure projects that could balance out visitation growth and transportation challenges.

“I’d like to be the first on the list there — get to the front of the line as quickly as we can,” Commissioner Mike McCurdy added.

Residents who spoke up on the issue in the meeting were split on the letter but generally leaned in opposition. Caleb Meyer, who said he was hired by the National Park Service to evaluate the first pilot timed-entry in 2022, said the system may not be a “permanent solution,” but it might be the best option right now.

Other options outlined in the letter might be too expensive or may not address the challenge that existed before 2022, he continued. Ditching timed entry, he said, could lead to a return of regular gate closures because there are not enough parking spaces available, which is why the reservation system was created in the first place.

“It’s the best resource we have for visitation management at this point,” said Harris Hadziabdic, in agreement.

Some commissioners were skeptical of the letter, pointing out that the Gardner Policy Institute study has yet to be conducted. It’s too early to know if the executive order, which called for an increase in park entry fees for foreign tourists, will change any visitation patterns, but the expected income from it still doesn’t account for Park Service budget cuts, Commissioner Trisha Hedin said.

“To be honest, I feel that this letter is just like a pie in the sky — like, ‘oh we want all this stuff’ when the Park Service is under extreme stress,” she said, calling the letter “a little silly.”

The debates prompted a few language changes in the letter before it was adopted, but the gist of the letter remained the same. Commissioners also included a line calling for “fundamental infrastructure investments,” such as an emergency operations center, following feedback from Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks.

The letter could also end up in the hands of Gov. Spencer Cox and other state leaders, following a suggestion by Commission Vice Chair Melodie McCandless.

“I think it’s important to get this letter out there for sure,” said Commission Chair Bill Winfield, noting it at least “starts the conversation” toward vital park infrastructure needs.

The vote took place as Arches’ timed-entry system is on pause to account for a slowdown park officials have seen between the Fourth of July and Labor Day holidays. Reservations are required again from Aug. 28 through Oct. 31.

Park officials said last year they’ve heard “positive comments” about the system from visitors, and that they could implement a permanent program as early as 2026.