Carlsbad Caverns National Park proposed fee hike

CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — One of southern New Mexico's most popular tourist destinations wants to raise the price of admission. Officials at Carlsbad Caverns National Park are proposing to raise general admission fees from $10 to $12 per person starting in October. Those 15 and younger will still be admitted for free. Park officials said Thursday that revenues from admission fees are used to pay for deferred maintenance projects not covered by the park's base budget. Some of these projects have included the $10 million redesign and renovation of the visitor center and $5 million for replacing steel in the hoist way of the park's secondary elevator. There are also plans for a $5 million modernization of the primary elevators that take visitors into the caverns. That work should be done in May 2018.