Utah boasts 43 state parks, six national monuments, six national forests, five national parks and a smattering of Bureau of Land Management recreational and historical sites.

The Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation sets fees according to popularity. Visitors to places like Jordanelle and Antelope Island pay three or four times as much as those heading to the Territorial Statehouse in Fillmore or the Edge of the Cedars museum in Blanding.

The practice of setting fees based on market demand began in the mid-1990s and was reiterated when the Legislature asked the state parks division to operate like a business.

"It makes good business sense to base a fee on market demand. As always, it is still a delicate balance of managing fees and determining what is the point of diminishing return," said Mary Tullius, Utah State Parks and Recreation director.

The state parks and recreation board last month voted to raise day-use, camping and boat-mooring fees at several locations, pending public comment and administrative approval. Annual passes would go up $5 to $75. Pedestrian and bicycle fees for Antelope Island and Dead Horse Point will be lowered.

Parks and recreation officials look at facilities available, the cost to operate those facilities, return on the investment and the numbers and types of users.

Tullius says day-use and camping fees aren't exorbitant.

"We just don't seem to have a lot of buyer resistance," she said.

But state parks fees sometimes catch visitors unaware.

"I was kind of surprised it was so much, to be honest," said Brad Wright, during a day of picnicking and swimming at Jordanelle with his wife and their five children, ages 10 to 16 months.

And the fee went up to $10 a couple of weeks later.

Wright, of Washington Terrace, said the extra dollar probably won't keep his family away from the reservoirs. But, added his wife Jo, "it doesn't mean we won't gripe about it as we pull in."

Sandy resident Steve Lundgren paid $9 at Jordanelle for a day of wave running with his family.

"I don't personally have a problem with it. I was surprised it was that high. But I was OK with it," he said, noting a movie ticket runs $7.50 a person. "I don't think it's out of line, really."

Anton Bercich of Highland bought his boat a couple of weeks ago and has already been out five or six times. The $9 fee at Deer Creek doesn't bother him at all. In fact, he finds it a bargain compared to Southern California, from which he moved two years ago.

"I think that's the best bang for the buck," he said after launching his boat, carrying his wife and three children, ages 5 to 11.