Cascade Locks contemplates campground fee increase

Campground users include fishermen who launch from the local boat ramps, as well as tourists from other areas, Nelson said.

Current fees stand at $21 to $41 in off-peak season, and $31 to $41 in peak season. Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) hikers pay $5 for a night’s stay and $5 for a shower. Columbia Gorge Racing Association (CGRA) campers pay $15 a night.

The proposal would standardize the fees for all lodging, aligning with nearby private campgrounds. Tent campers would pay a flat $45 or $75 fee for a night’s lodging year-round, with hiker and biker feeds raised to reflect demand. CGRA campers would pay $25 a night, and PCT hikers $10 a night — shower included, this time.

Other area campgrounds charge up to $80 a night. But these private campgrounds are not owned by ports, which some commissioners said could make the comparison less fair.

Conversation centered around whether this raise is fair to local campground users. The park has not increased rates for a long time, making an increase to the typical price a big jump.

Commissioner Carrie Klute, self-identifying as an avid camper and proponent of affordable rates, advocated for more financial analysis before making any such abrupt fee increase.

The big raise could look bad publicly, Commissioner Rob Peterson noted.

One proposal was to make more campsites, instead of raising rates. Another was to increase the rates incrementally, instead of all at once. Commissioner Pamela Thweatt suggested adding more amenities, even something that “just looks flashy,” to reduce negative reactions to the rate increase.

Keeping the campsite affordable for “the real PET hikers” is important for sustaining summer hiking events, Blue noted. And campgrounds in many ports are big financial drivers.

The decision the port faces now, is whether to interpret their campground as a for-profit business or a community service.

During fiscal year 2022-2023, the campground brought in a revenue of $77,676. Of that, $435 was shower fees. Some 502 PCT hikers, 77 CGRA campers, and 1880 tent and trailer/RV campers paid the rest.

The proposed increases would have brought projected revenue for fiscal year 2024-2025 up by $63,144. No final decisions were made at this time.

The commission requested more financial information from Parker. Another discussion will take place at the commission’s March 19 meeting, accessible by zoom at www.portofcascadelocks.org/2024-03-19-commission-meeting.