A $5 increase in entrance fees to 117 units of the National Park System is coming in June/NPS

A $5 increase is coming to entrance fees at many national parks beginning June 1 as the Interior Department searches for additional revenues to address the estimated $11.6 billion maintenance backlog in the National Park System. It is expected to generate $60 million a year for the National Park Service.

The increase, much lower than a highly unpopular surge-pricing proposal Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke had been pushing, will affect 117 units of the park system that charge entrance fees.

Secretary Zinke's higher-priced plan, announced last fall, called for a more than doubling of entrance fees at 17 national parks for nearly half the year. Interior Department staff estimated it would raise $70 million to help address the maintenance backlog. The proposed $70 fee for a week, if approved would have applied to Yellowstone, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Denali, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Olympic, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Acadia, Mount Rainier, Joshua Tree, Shenandoah, and Zion national parks.

But the proposal was criticized and opposed by members of Congress, attorneys general from around the country, and a vast majority of Americans who commented on it.

The announcement Thursday to institute a $5 increase was applauded by U.S. Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, D-Arizona, and park advocacy groups.

According to a Park Service release, "(M)ost seven-day vehicle passes to enter national parks will be increased by $5 and will be implemented in many parks beginning June 1, 2018. Yosemite National Park for example will increase the price of a seven-day vehicle pass to the park from $30 to $35. More than two-thirds of national parks will remain free to enter."

You can find a complete list of parks affected by the increase at this site.

“This is a prime example that activism works,” Rep. Grijalva said. “The American people raised their concerns, participated in the public comment period and made sure that the Trump White House knew that the (Zinke) proposal was unpopular. If it wasn’t for the power of the people, Secretary Zinke would have gone ahead with his ridiculous proposal. Since we have his ear, let’s remind the Secretary that shrinking national monuments and opening more of our coasts to drilling are unpopular as well.”

“This is a big win for park lovers everywhere. Let’s celebrate, then get back to work and continue to hold Zinke accountable for his actions,” the Democrat concluded.

All revenue from the $5 increase will remain in the National Park Service, with at least 80 percent of the money staying in the park where it is collected, a Park Service release said. "The funds will be used for projects and activities to improve the experience for visitors who continue to visit parks at unprecedented levels," it added. "Increased attendance at parks, 1.5 billion visits in the last five years, means aging park facilities incurring further wear and tear."

Secretary Zinke said that, “(E)very dollar spent to rebuild our parks will help bolster the gateway communities that rely on park visitation for economic vitality. I want to thank the American people who made their voices heard through the public comment process on the original fee proposal. Your input has helped us develop a balanced plan that focuses on modest increases at the 117 fee-charging parks as opposed to larger increases proposed for 17 highly-visited national parks."

The secretary acknowledged that the $11.6 billion maintenance backlog won't be erased overnight, but will require "a multi-tiered approach as we work to provide badly needed revenue to repair infrastructure. This is just one of the ways we are carrying out our commitment to ensure that national parks remain world class destinations that provide an excellent value for families from all income levels.”

At the National Parks Conservation Association, President and CEO Theresa Pierno said, “(F)rom the moment the administration made its proposal to triple fees at some of America’s most popular national parks, many businesses, gateway communities, governors, tourism groups, conservation organizations and the public have said this was the wrong solution for parks’ repair needs. The public spoke, and the administration listened.

“Fees do have a role to play in our parks, and the administration’s move to abandon its original proposal in favor of more measured fee increases will put additional funds into enhancing park experiences without threatening visitation or local economies," she added.

The price of the annual America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass and Lifetime Senior Pass will remain $80.

Fees to enter national parks predate the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916, Interior officials noted. "For example, Mount Rainier National Park began charging an entrance fee in 1908. Factoring in inflation, the $5 entrance fee the park charged in 1914 would be the equivalent of a $123 entrance fee today—more than four times the price of the new seven-day $30 vehicle pass," they said.

Entrance fees collected by the National Park Service totaled $199 million in Fiscal Year 2016. The NPS estimates that once fully implemented, the new fee structure will increase annual entrance fee revenue by about $60 million.

In addition to implementing modest fee increases and enhancing public-private partnerships aimed at rebuilding national parks, Secretary Zinke​ is working closely with Congress on proposed bipartisan legislation to use revenue derived from energy produced on federal lands and waters to​ establish a special fund within the Treasury specifically for “National Park Restoration.” The bill​ follows the blueprint outlined in Secretary Zinke and President Trump's budget proposal, the Public Lands Infrastructure Fund.​

The National Park Service has a standardized entrance fee structure, composed of four groups based on park size and type. Some parks not yet aligned with the other parks in their category will raise their fees incrementally and fully incorporate the new entrance fee schedule by January 1, 2020.