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State will start
charging $5-10
a night per family
for camping

---

Star-Bulletin staff

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources says it will begin charging fees Monday for camping at 12 state parks.

Hawaii has been one of only a handful of states that haven't charged camping fees.

Tim Johns, department director, said the fee will raise funds to help maintain the parks.

"Over the past five years, funding has been cut by over 30 percent, making it nearly impossible to maintain our parks and keep pace with the visitor demand," Johns said yesterday.

He noted the fees are "modest" and park improvements resulting from them will not be immediate.

State officials did not provide estimates of how much money will be raised.

Nor did they explain why the fee, approved by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources in February 1999, was not implemented for so long.

A $5 nightly fee per family (up to 10 people) fee will be charged for camping at these state parks:

Oahu: Kahana Valley, Keaiwa Heiau and Sand Island;
Big Island: Kalopa and MacKenzie;
Kauai: Kokee and Polihale;
Maui: Polipoli spring, Waianapanapa and Palaau.

A $10 fee will be charged at Na Pali Coast State Park on Kauai.