Hey buddy, can you spare a dime?

[user 2252]

National Parks Service wants more money.

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkID=442&projectID=75576

 

[cyndi]

Mike! Thanks for sharing that. Good to see you here!

Thanks to Jenn, our friend at freecampsites.net, for the following information

A public comment period on the peak-season entrance fee proposal will be open from October 24, 2017 to November 23, 2017, on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website https://parkplanning.nps.gov/proposedpeakseasonfeerates. Written comments can be sent to 1849 C Street, NW, Mail Stop: 2346 Washington, DC 20240.

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?documentID=83652

You don't have to register to comment. Your name is optional. They require your town, state and zip code.

 

[gallica]

National Parks Service wants more money.

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkID=442&projectID=75576

thanks for the info. I gave them my $.02

 

[jonsun]

This easily goes into politics because the federal government has one of those war type deals going on against national lands. Years of underfunding has lead them to brace themselves for the upcoming budget.

 

[Marie]

Mike/VonBrown great to see you here! It's been a while!

 

[shadowmoss]

From what I can tell from the chart in the link given enough, the daily rate would not change other than motorcycles. It is the yearly pass into the individual park, and for most listed it goes up $15/yr or so. For the Grand Canyon the yearly rate goes from the current $60 to $75/yr. The America the Beautiful pass is still $85. I can't imagine too many people buy an annual pass to just one park.

 

[shadowmoss]

Oops, the chart is confusing. The price to get into the Grand anyones would go up from $30 to $70. The interagency pass will still be honored, so it definitely makes sense to get one even at $80/yr for those under 62. I do think the increase is way too much, and I'll comment officially.

 

[MikeRuth]

Those prices seem totally out of line. Just saying if I understand this correctly, my entrance to a park in my van would be $70.00? Seriously?
Not gonna happen for me if that happens.

Mike

 

[RVTravel]

The yearly pass sales to all parks will go up. Maybe that is their goal.

 

[HumbleBeginnings]

Those prices seem totally out of line. Just saying if I understand this correctly, my entrance to a park in my van would be $70.00? Seriously?
Not gonna happen for me if that happens.

Mike

Yes, and $70 for a one-time entry sounds really high. BUT if I understand correctly the annual pass for all parks would stay at $80. Seems like a silly loophole, but a good financial move for anybody going to multiple parks. Even without this fee increase, the annual pass is cheaper than paying the $30 entrance fee 3 times.

 

[user 13531]

I was in Yosemite in September and I believe they wanted $32 for 7 days of entry, it was still free with my lifetime pass...

 

[geogentry]

Most people won't buy the annual pass thinking that so many weeks will get wasted on a year long pass.  

I dont know if the prices are so much out of line.  Campgrounds around where I am charge 20 to 30 dollars a day to camp.  Seems like 70 dollars for 7 days is pretty cheap.  I just looked at Oregon and they charge 15 to 35 dollars a day for state campgrounds.  Tens bucks just seems like a pretty good deal.  If I didnt already know that the annual pass is only 10 dollars more than that.

 

[tripper]

That $70 is entrance fee, the camping is additional. The problem with these parks is with all government agencies they build frivolous items like nature theaters and museums that have to have employees to run and maintenance costs. Those items are luxuries that are nice to have, but not the reason I go to a national park.

For example:
"The Department of the Interior has also identified the park service as dysfunctional and corrupt and will not do anything about it. Basically, about 80 percent of the money budgeted for the Smokies goes to pay employees, which in this case is about $8 million, while the other 20 percent goes toward maintaining the park, which is the reason the park service is cutting all visitor services."

It really is the mismanagement of the parks services that is causing these problems.

 

[geogentry]

That $70 is entrance fee, the camping is additional.  The problem with these parks is with all government agencies they build frivolous items like nature theaters and museums that have to have employees to run and maintenance costs.   Those items are luxuries that are nice to have, but not the reason I go to a national park.

Whoa!  OK yea that is a bit nuts.

Ahh well dispersed camping is allowed in national forests also - like you said who needs the museums and such

 

[Weight]

"" That $70 is entrance fee, the camping is additional. The problem with these parks is with all government agencies they build frivolous items like nature theaters and museums that have to have employees to run and maintenance costs. Those items are luxuries that are nice to have, but not the reason I go to a national park. ""
But some, if not most, visitors like these experiences. I know I enjoy learning about the parks in their center or museum.

 

[akrvbob]

Do you like clean toilets? Do you like Law Enforcement to stop the huge amount of damage that would be done without it? Do you like passable roads? Do you like a clean Visitor Center and Rangers there to answer your questions?

I personally don’t for one second want to see the Parks personnel budget cut. If anything, it needs to be increased.

 

[wagoneer]

Das a lotta stars BoB, Seriously although I am grandfathered in I was not earning mid 5 figures that 10 bucks 10 years ago is not 10 bucks today. See it in your heart to pay forward and make this work. see you at the Are Tee Are

 

[bullfrog]

I personally see the parks as a great resource for boondocking outside the park. Water, trash, electricity in some areas, waste dumps, and even free hot showers and beaches with wify at some all make a day use pass worth it. Consessioneers are a lot of the problem and usually control improved campgrounds so avoid them. Visit during the day and sleep at free sites outside the park, use your mobility to your advantage. If you really want to splurge sit in the lodge at the bar and watch the big screen TV make friends with locals who just might share insites to more resources like best fishing spots.

 

[Mbinmo]

If you are a Disabled Veteran you can now get the All Access Pass for free, no matter what your award level is at the VA. You will need a copy of your Letter of Award from the VA. Then you can get the pass for free wherever they are sold. I got mine at Sequoia, with no hassles. It's good for free entrance and 50% off camping fees. Its also good at the BLM, Forestry Service, Corps of Engineers, Interior......

 

[maki2]

The interpretive centers (what you are calling museums) serve a valuable purpose and that is education. There are many people in this country who know little to nothing about the natural world or natural history. If you don't understand something such as a fragile ecosystem that can quickly lead to so much abuse that it gets destroyed. The purpose of the natural parks is to preserve the area in its natural state so humans know what it was like without all mega mansions built on the rim of a place such as the Grand Canyon.

There are not enough rangers to stop uneducated idiots from doing mass destruction by people who have no understanding that what they might want to do can cause harm to the land, the animals or even themselves. When they take their children to those centers the children learn and grow up knowing that it is something worth preserving.

This summer from reports I have seen many of the National Parks were very overcrowded. If high fees can reduce the quantity of visitors that is actually not all that bad because all those people are creating stress to the area. Sure it makes it hard on those of us who want to be able to visit at little to no cost. Most especially if we see reports of abuse of the funds they collect.

Besides the National Parks are way more beautiful and interesting than Disney land High prices don't keep people from going to Disney land and other theme parks that create masses of consumer waste piles and consume tons of carbon fuels.