National Park Fees Going Up

[accadacca]

Bummer...

[Borkazork]

Whatever keeps them up and running.
Shame to see but I'd definitely take a fee increase over a shutdown.

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[p40whk]

I actually agree with this for a few reasons, government funding for our natural resources are dwindling and I believe that those of us that use them should help maintain them. It may help with the over crowding issue (although I think people will pay it if they want to see it). It will help keep these parks open and provide funding for the other services that usually go unnoticed (SAR).

I also read somewhere that the Annual pass prices were going up as well. but honestly those passes are undervalued if you use them regularly as I do.

[tallsteve]

Does anyone know what the bus load fee is? Every time we go to a National Park, there are a gazillion tour buses filled with overseas tourists. Maybe if they also bumped up the bus load fee (by a LOT), it may help make a dent in the needed funding.

[Borkazork]

Does anyone know what the bus load fee is? Every time we go to a National Park, there are a gazillion tour buses filled with overseas tourists. Maybe if they also bumped up the bus load fee (by a LOT), it may help make a dent in the needed funding.

You have to strike a careful balance with that though. I imagine tour groups are a pretty sizeable portion of the national park income already and a lot of those groups might have to or choose to go somewhere else if you raise prices too much.

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[Sombeech]

People are going to be fast to blame any particular political party, but in reality I see an almost daily ad promoting National Park tourism on social media and other platforms.

The National Parks will want sympathy from the public to justify the price increase because overcrowding, but let's see if they continue to advertise for tourism on a daily basis.

It's like the constant ads I used to see from Cedar City, showing photos of Kanarraville Canyon, and then some of the same people would complain about overcrowding and what it's doing to this small town of humble peasants that don't know how to handle city folks and public restrooms. Meanwhile on the other hand they start bringing in more money by charging to park at the bottom of the canyon.

This has nothing to do with politics, folks. It's the same people that are trying to promote tourism, they'll complain about the success of their ad campaigns with a justification to raise the entrance fee.

They know what they're doing.

[qedcook]

How much will the annual pass cost?

[Iceaxe]

The problem with industrialized tourism and the National Parks is it's the state of Utah and their 'Mighty Five' campaign that is herding millions of tourist into the state and overcrowding the parks. The National Park system has no control over that.

[twotimer]

I've always said that Zion is like Disneyland. Now it's gonna cost that much.

[Scott P]

It's a conspiracy to keep Americans fat and lazy.

[devo_stevo]

It's a conspiracy to keep Americans fat and lazy.

Based on my personal experience, we don't need anyone conspiring to do that. We do it to ourselves quite well thank you very much.

[uintafly]

Does anyone know what the bus load fee is? Every time we go to a National Park, there are a gazillion tour buses filled with overseas tourists. Maybe if they also bumped up the bus load fee (by a LOT), it may help make a dent in the needed funding.

There is probably no way to implement it in all honesty and it would cause outrage in some corners, but I'd love to see a citizen and a foreign visitor price. I figure my taxes help contribute to the parks so we should get a break on fees.

[taatmk]

Since people are slowly shifting away from watching the NFL, and since Hollywood seems to be full of molesters, maybe our hard earned dollars can go to something really worthwhile, like our country's natural resources. While I wince at the cost increase, perhaps the value given to a park visit will be reflected in being able to make such an expenditure. "Put you money were your mouth is" sort of speak.

[Sandstone Addiction]

“The infrastructure of our national parks is aging and in need of renovation and restoration,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.

https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/10-24-2017-fee-changes-proposal.htm

I'd like to know what "infrastructure" is in need of renovation or restoration.

From what I've personally seen:

Zion has a new gate, very nice newer visitor center, updated restrooms at THs and renovated trails.

Canyonlands has nice visitor centers, roads are all nicely paved, concrete looks great and the trails are nice.

Arches has a very nice new visitor center, brand new pavement (which just might be worn out before they actually finish the job), trails are all in great shape and a new entrance road that can accommodate an hours worth of cars trying to get through the gate ( I know this from personal experience last weekend).

I saw nothing at Bryce Canyon or Capitol Reef that looked like it needed renovation or falling apart because of deferred maintenance.

[Sombeech]

They can have one lane for Zions and one lane for Zion. Charge more for Zions, say it's a bank fee.

[rockgremlin]

They can have one lane for Zions and one lane for Zion. Charge more for Zions, say it's a bank fee.

OMG, I just spit Mtn. Dew out my nose...you bastard.