PHOENIX (AZFamily) — If you enjoy hiking, camping or just want to spend the day at any of the Maricopa County regional parks, get ready to pay more.

Maricopa County park fees are set to increase in January and continue to increase over the next couple of years.

“At the end of the day, I think we are going to see a stronger parks system with these fee increases,” said Steve Gallardo, the Maricopa County Supervisor for District 5 , during a county Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday.

The increase begins Jan. 1. According to the county parks department, a recent assessment confirmed that the current fee structure no longer fully supports the rising costs of utilities, staffing, maintenance, and resource management. Without adjustments, the park system’s sustainability would be at ris

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