State seeking public comment regarding park fee changes

State parks officials plan on cutting admission to Mormon Station State Park in half and instituting a fee for the Home Ranch Historic Park.

The state started charging a $2 entrance fee for Mormon Station's museum two years ago, according to Alan Newberry, chief of operations and maintenance for the Nevada Division of State Parks. No fee was being charged for the Wednesday and Saturday tours of the home ranch, located south of Minden along Highway 88.

Newberry said the state is considering lowering the entrance fee for Mormon Station to $1 and allowing children under 12 in for free.

"We want to make it cost effective for families to visit the museum," he said.

Mormon Station is directly across Jacks Valley Road from the Genoa Court House Museum, which charges $3 for adults and $2 for children 6-18 and competition was one of the factors in the reduction.

He said the cost of visiting all the attractions in a historical corridor can be prohibitive.

The state parks division is holding a public hearing 4-6 p.m. Dec. 13 at 901 South Stewart St., Suite 5005, in Carson City regarding the changes to the two Carson Valley parks as well as others around the state.

The proposed regulation represents comments the division received from the public and the Legislature and do not constitute an increase in fees but allow for a fee at three parks not presently mentioned in the Nevada Administrative Codes including Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park.

Written comments regarding the proposed changes must be received by the Nevada Division of State Parks on or before Dec. 14. If you would like a copy of the proposed regulation, call (775) 684-2770 or send an e-mail to acloutie@parks.nv.gov.