Camping Fees to Rise at Lake Casitas

Camping fees at Lake Casitas Recreation Area will rise between 50 cents and $1 on Jan. 1.

The higher rate reflects the increased cost of labor and materials in operating the popular 6,200-acre park five miles southwest of Ojai, said Mike Frees, chairman of the Casitas Municipal Water District Board.

The board unanimously approved the fee increases--the first in at least two years--at its Wednesday meeting, he said.

The increase means the nightly cost of a basic campsite will rise from $12 to $12.50 and a site with electricity and water hookups will go from $16 to $17.

Daily admission prices for cars and boats will not increase, but a variety of other miscellaneous fees will also rise modestly. For instance, the price of a frequent-visitor card will go from $50 to $52 a year.