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A Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) is required to conduct business (for-profit and non-profit) in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

What is a Commercial Use Authorization?

A Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) may be obtained from the National Park Service to authorize companies or individuals to conduct business in national park unit on an annual basis. A CUA provides a group a non-exclusive license to offer services to park visitors.

An organization is considered a business if you provide goods, services, activities, or other things to the public using National Park Service lands. If you receive any form of compensation for the things you provide, you are conducting a business or commercial activity. The National Park Service's definition of a business or commercial organization does not distinguish between for-profit and non-profit organizations.

CUA holders have their base of operations outside the park. All of the commercial aspects of the activity must occur outside of National Park Service (NPS) lands. This includes marketing, advertising, use of permanent or temporary structures, and negotiation with customers. Compensation or payment for services may not occur on NPS lands.

Policy

Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations 1.6(a) - Permits and 5.3 - Business Operations states: "Engaging in or soliciting any business in park areas, except in accordance with the provisions of a permit, contract, or other written agreement with the United States, except as such may be specifically authorized under special regulations applicable to a park area, is prohibited."

CUA Permit Requirements

A CUA is a business permit with the National Park Service. It authorizes you to conduct commercial activities and to provide specific visitor services within a National Park site. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park only issues CUAs for activities that:

• are an appropriate use of national park areas.
• will have minimal impact on park resources and values.
• are consistent with the park's purpose, management plans, policies, and regulations.

You must have a CUA if you or your organization provide services that:

• take place at least in part in the recreation area.
• use park resources.
• result in monetary gain.

Authorized CUA Services

Each service requires a separate CUA. Currently, the following services are permitted under Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park's CUA program:

• Guided Bicycle Tours
• Climbing/Mountaineering – day trips
• Climbing Certification
• Equipment Rental
• Guided Hiking/Walking
• Guided Wildlife Viewing
• Art/Photography Instruction

Road-based tours may currently operate without a CUA. We are not accepting applications for road-based tours until 2026. If you are unsure which CUA your activity falls under or have a new activity you would like to provide in the recreation area, do not apply yet. Email us at blca_cure_commercialservices@nps.gov for clarification.

You may not conduct commercial activities in the park without a valid CUA or in a manner inconsistent with the terms of the CUA. You must always carry a printed or digital copy of your CUA with you while operating in the park. Show your CUA at the entrance station upon arrival.

Apply for a CUA

The deadline for submitting CUA applications is March 31 each year. The application is available through the Online CUA System. Watch an instructional video for help applying for a commercial use authorization.

Companies applying for a CUA will be required to set up an account and upload all the required paperwork and insurance and pay through the system during that application period. If a company has not uploaded the required paperwork with the application, your application may not be approved for the season.

All applications will be handled in the order they are received. Requests that involve multiple locations, complex logistics, and coordination with other NPS divisions or visitor activities may require 90 days or more to process.

Fees

The NPS is authorized to recover, at a minimum, associated management and administrative costs associated with CUAs.

The annual fee is $350.00 for each CUA. The $350 CUA application fee is per service type. Additional service types must be applied for separately, with a fee of $250 per additional service type. Fees are non-refundable. The CUA fee covers costs of processing and administering your CUA. These include overseeing the operational requirements stipulated in the permit.

Insurance Requirements

CUA holders must have proof of adequate general liability insurance and automobile insurance. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park needs to be listed on the General Liability Insurance as a co-insurer or an additional insurer. It must read as follows:

United States of America
Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
102 Elk Creek Gunnison, CO, 81230

Insurance is required if a CUA holder transports passengers or uses a vehicle (owned, leased, or rented) in the performance of their service in the park. If a CUA holder charters the vehicle and those chartered vehicles are owned and operated by another company, the CUA holder is not required to have Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance.

The minimum Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance for interstate passenger transport is:

Other Required Paperwork

At least one guide must have a current American Red Cross or American Heart Association First Aid & CPR certification in their possession while in the park. A written list of guides with copies of their cards, showing expiration dates, must be sent in with your application. Climbing guide service requires instructor certification.

Companies must provide a current brochure of rates or a website that has the current information, such as rates and trip dates. Please include an operating plan and/or itinerary of the specific dates, areas of the park, and number of clients planned for the guided activities.

CUA Required Reporting

CUA holders must submit an annual report for every CUA held. The report is due at the end of your operating season. The report provides the park with visitation statistics, reportable injury data, and a record of annual gross receipts.

Submit your annual reports directly through the online system when notified starting in February. Annual reports are due by February 28 for the prior year.

Contact the Park

For questions about CUAs and the application process, please email us at blca_cure_commercialservices@nps.gov.