Yosemite on list for possible fee increase

NPS is considering raising peak-season fees for 17 national parks to help with the maintenance backlog:
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkID=442&projectID=75576

it's HUGE!

From the NPS:

Peak-Season Entrance Fee and Commercial Tour Permit and Fee Proposals
The National Park Service is considering increases to fees at 17 national parks during peak visitor seasons. The peak season for each park would be defined as its busiest contiguous five-month period of visitation. During the peak season at each park, the entrance fee would be $70 per private, non-commercial vehicle; $50 per motorcycle; and $30 per person on bike or foot.

The National Park Service is also proposing entry and permit fee adjustments for commercial tour operators. The proposal would increase entry fees for commercial operators and standardize commercial use authorization (CUA) requirements for road-based commercial tours, including application and management fees.

Public comments are being accepted on the proposals from October 24 to November 23, 2017.

The annual pass would remain at $80:

The cost of the annual America the Beautiful- The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, which provides entrance to all federal lands, including parks for a one-year period, would remain $80.

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phantum
NPS is considering raising peak-season fees for 17 national parks to help with the maintenance backlog:
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkID=442&projectID=75576

that link doesn't work for me.

Parklover, try again or try a different browser, it's a viable link.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2017 06:23AM by troutwild.

Or try the press release:
https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/10-24-2017-fee-changes-proposal.htm

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Weird that the annual pass fee would stay the same?

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ERICG
Weird that the annual pass fee would stay the same?

It looks like the annual "park specific" pass will increase to $75 but still.....$70 for 7 days vs. $75 for a year?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2017 11:21AM by troutwild.

Could be targeted towards international visitors. I've always thought they should charge higher entry fees for people with non-US issued IDs. The entry fees for the NPS units have always been a bargain, and will continue to be if the changes are implemented.

I'm all for increased funding for NPS, but we will have to stay alert to make sure they don't try something dumb like setting up cell service all over the park.

Rehabilitation of a trail in Grand Canyon National Park by NPS and American Conservation Experience personnel was funded in part by entrance fees.
NPS Photo

Public invited to provide comments on proposed peak season fee increases at 17 highly visited parks

WASHINGTON – As part of its commitment to improve the visitor experience and ensure America’s national parks are protected in perpetuity, the National Park Service (NPS) is considering increases to fees at highly visited national parks during peak visitor seasons. Proposed peak season entrance fees and revised fees for road-based commercial tours would generate badly needed revenue for improvements to the aging infrastructure of national parks. This includes roads, bridges, campgrounds, waterlines, bathrooms, and other visitor services.

“The infrastructure of our national parks is aging and in need of renovation and restoration,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “Targeted fee increases at some of our most-visited parks will help ensure that they are protected and preserved in perpetuity and that visitors enjoy a world-class experience that mirrors the amazing destinations they are visiting. We need to have the vision to look at the future of our parks and take action in order to ensure that our grandkids' grandkids will have the same if not better experience than we have today. Shoring up our parks' aging infrastructure will do that.”

Under the proposal, peak-season entrance fees would be established at 17 national parks. The peak season for each park would be defined as its busiest contiguous five-month period of visitation.

The proposed new fee structure would be implemented at Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Denali, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Olympic, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion National Parks with peak season starting on May 1, 2018; in Acadia, Mount Rainier, Rocky Mountain, and Shenandoah National Parks with peak season starting on June 1, 2018; and in Joshua Tree National Park as soon as practicable in 2018.

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.

If implemented, estimates suggest that the peak-season price structure could increase national park revenue by $70 million per year. That is a 34 percent increase over the $200 million collected in Fiscal Year 2016. Under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, 80% of an entrance fee remains in the park where it is collected. The other 20% is spent on projects in other national parks.

During the peak season at each park, the entrance fee would be $70 per private, non-commercial vehicle, $50 per motorcycle, and $30 per person on bike or foot. A park-specific annual pass for any of the 17 parks would be available for $75.

The cost of the annual America the Beautiful- The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, which provides entrance to all federal lands, including parks for a one-year period, would remain $80. Entrance fees are not charged to visitors under 16 years of age or holders of Senior, Military, Access, Volunteer, or Every Kid in a Park (EKIP) passes. The majority of national parks will remain free to enter; only 118 of 417 park sites charge an entrance fee, and the current proposal only raises fees at 17 fee-charging parks

The National Park Service is also proposing entry and permit fee adjustments for commercial tour operators. The proposal would increase entry fees for commercial operators and standardize commercial use authorization (CUA) requirements for road-based commercial tours, including application and management fees. All CUA fees stay within the collecting park and would fund rehabilitation projects for buildings, facilities, parking lots, roads, and wayside exhibits that would enhance the visitor experience. The fees will also cover the administrative costs of receiving, reviewing, and processing CUA applications and required reports.

In addition, the proposal would include a peak-season commercial entry fee structure for the 17 national parks referenced above. All proposed fee adjustments for commercial operators would go into effect following an 18-month implementation window.

Information and a forum for public comments regarding commercial permit requirements and fees is available October 24, 2017 to November 23, 2017 on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commercialtourrequirements. Written comments can be sent to National Park Service, Recreation Fee Program, 1849 C Street, NW, Mail Stop: 2346 Washington, DC 20240.

I wish they would do a big increase for tour buses since they have such a huge impact on the parks. We were in Yosemite last weekend and there were so many tour buses at Tunnel View that they blocked the car parking spaces. Not to mention that they were yelling, pushing other people away from the wall, smoking and throwing cigarette butts on the ground. Having that many people discharged at one time puts a lot of strain on toilet and food facilities. Also try to have a moment of quiet contemplation of the view there and other places such as Yosemite Falls when multiple tour bus loads of people all are trying to be in one place at the same time.

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parklover
...so many tour buses... they blocked the car parking spaces..try to have a moment of quiet contemplation ..

Sigh..the bus conundrum. You could always walk in a 1/8 mile...get away from the road?
Still would rather see 80 hikers spilling out of a YARTS than 40 more cars stuck in gridlock, all trying to find a Curry parking spot.

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markskor

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parklover
...so many tour buses... they blocked the car parking spaces..try to have a moment of quiet contemplation ..

Sigh..the bus conundrum. You could always walk in a 1/8 mile...get away from the road?
Still would rather see 80 hikers spilling out of a YARTS than 40 more cars stuck in gridlock, all trying to find a Curry parking spot.

We had friends with us that have not been in the park in 30 years so they wanted to stop at the "touristy" spots and take pictures. The next day we went to Tuolumne Meadows to get away from the crowds. As for me, I have days that I can't walk across my living room so sometimes a 1/8 of a mile is too much for me and all I can do is sit and look at the view while my family and friends are having all the fun hiking.

YARTS is not tour buses but a way for people to not have to drive into the park. I was referring to those tour buses where people are there for a few hours, are really not interested in seeing much of the park and come in clothes that are inappropriate for a park and not the outdoorsy people who use YARTS.

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parklover
I was referring to those tour buses where people are there for a few hours, are really not interested in seeing much of the park

You mean the ones that are only there for selfies?

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eeek

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parklover
I was referring to those tour buses where people are there for a few hours, are really not interested in seeing much of the park

You mean the ones that are only there for selfies?

You got it. Or think the proper attire to wear to a park is a miniskirt with 4 inch spiked high heels and there is snow on the ground. Yes, I really saw that last winter.

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parklover
Or think the proper attire to wear to a park is a miniskirt with 4 inch spiked high heels and there is snow on the ground. Yes, I really saw that last winter.

That can be really amusing at the Vernal Fall bridge.

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eeek

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parklover
Or think the proper attire to wear to a park is a miniskirt with 4 inch spiked high heels and there is snow on the ground. Yes, I really saw that last winter.

That can be really amusing at the Vernal Fall bridge.

Also saw a girl in a mini skirt and heels one time going up the Mist Trail. The guys in our group really enjoyed it since she was not wearing panties. I will let your imagination take over.

Last year, coming down from my winter Cloud's rest trip, I ran into an unbelievable amount of people with iPads, heels, etc ,etc trying to get up the trail lol.

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KevinD
Last year, coming down from my winter Cloud's rest trip, I ran into an unbelievable amount of people with iPads, heels, etc ,etc trying to get up the trail lol.

I've seen a guy "pushing" a baby stroller "up" the 500 steps to Vernal Falls.

Got some off-roading wheels on it?? haha

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ERICG

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KevinD
Last year, coming down from my winter Cloud's rest trip, I ran into an unbelievable amount of people with iPads, heels, etc ,etc trying to get up the trail lol.

I've seen a guy "pushing" a baby stroller "up" the 500 steps to Vernal Falls.

It boggles the mind, doesn't it?

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KevinD
Last year, coming down from my winter Cloud's rest trip, I ran into an unbelievable amount of people with iPads, heels, etc ,etc trying to get up the trail lol.

You have to wonder how they continue to live and not get killed or hurt.

The National Park Service has extended the public comment period from Nov. 23 to Dec. 22:


http://www.ocregister.com/2017/11/22/would-you-pay-70-to-go-to-yosemite-public-backlash-mounts/