PUBLIC LANDS -- Camping and boat-launching fees will increase starting Feb. 9 at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.

The area is among numerous National Park Service units where fees will be increased this year to help maintain facilities.

The camping fee from May 1 to Sept. 30 will be $18 a night; group site use will be $55 per night for 1-25 people, $80 per night for 26-50 people, and $105 per night for 51-75 people.

The off-season camping rate (Oct. 1-April 30) will be $9.

The boat launching fee will be $8 for a week

The boat launch annual permit will be a single yearly fee of $45.  The discounts are being dropped for buying the permit at different times of the year. 

Holders of federal America the Beautiful passes for seniors and disabled will continue to get discounts on nightly camping and weekly boat launch permit fees, but regulations do not allow discounts on already discounted items such as yearly boat launch permits.

• Annual boat launching permits can still be purchased for $30 if purchased before Feb. 9 at pay.gov  or at Coulee Hardware in Grand Coulee, Forth Spokane Store or Kettle Falls Harvest Foods.

The current fees at Lake Roosevelt were established in 1995.  Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area is permitted to retain and utilize fees collected for improvements to visitor services, officials said.

Planned projects include continued improvements to comfort stations, enlarging the parking lot at Fort Spokane boat launch, improving the Crescent Bay launch and day use areas, and improving the Fort Spokane water system.