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Traveler's View: Rethink National Park Pass Fees

May 3rd - 13:19pm | Rick Smith

Here's an idea to consider:  I am not in favor of eliminating all entrance fees, but I think the fees should be limited to cover the cost of their collection.  The entrance stations at many parks are some of the Service's most valuable law enforcement and visitor contact resources.  The entrance station ranger gets to see and talk to everyone who enters the park.  They are too valuable to give

May 3rd - 13:06pm | y_p_w

If all you want is to visit a few sites, then you can get passes for a specific unit( (or combination thereof). I know Muir Woods NM has a $20 annual pass, and it's good for everyone travelling in the same vehicle. Without some sort of pass, it's $5 per person. Five people in a car and it's more than covered in one visit.

May 3rd - 11:28am | rdm24

Honestly, I think that the $10 fee is so ridiculous we might as well let seniors in for free. As a southern Californian, the pass is a bit more expensive than getting the $35 National Forest Adventure Pass, and going to Joshua Tree several times a year (at $15 per day).

May 3rd - 11:04am | Dave Crowl

I enjoy buying the annual Pass and I usually plan to do my next vacation in 11 months and that way I can get 2 years worth out of my pass. I say raise my Taxes and lower fees but unfortunately this is up to congress. Even if they raise taxes, they do not choose to spend the money the way we might like.

May 3rd - 10:23am | [email protected]

Thoughtful article. I have always supported reasonable entrance and camping fees to our parks. By reasonable I mean 15-20 dollars. I agree us seniors get a heck of deal, we could pay more as suggested by your analysis. We should lower fees for the annual pass, no question about it.

May 3rd - 10:11am | Lonesome Traveler

I wrote a comment on this subject on 3-9-11, noting that Congress's need to provide money for bankers and bailouts leaves the NPS chronically underfunded. Interestingly, this was followed on 3-28 by an article about Congress slashing the NPS budget. Obviously, since the NPS can't make campaign contributions this is not a situation that will change any time soon.

May 3rd - 10:04am | richp39

While I don't wholly disagree with your point, I'm not sure you've fully accounted for the effect of raising the price of the senior pass. If lowering the price of the regular pass will increase the number sold (and it should), then raising the price of the senior pass AND making it expire in a year will reduce the the number sold in any given year.

May 3rd - 09:18am | S C R

Great article.  I actually don't mind the fees, but I agree with you on making them more equitable.

May 3rd - 08:46am | debra

Definitely.  Last autumn I went on a roadtrip that included several NPS units over the course of several weeks.   It was cheaper to buy individual passes everywhere I went.

May 3rd - 07:27am | Lee Dalton

Lone Hiker -- so it's the Peyote?  Dang.  And all this time I thought it was my eyes. Just to the right of the Captcha box are three little emblems.  If you click the top one, it will bring up another set of letters.  Click it enough times and you'll be bound to finally find one you can read. (I had to click only twice this time . . . )

May 3rd - 06:32am | Lone Hiker

Shall I lead off?

May 3rd - 06:03am | Davey J

I agree. When the pass was $50 I would buy it annually whether I used it enough to offset the cost or not (often it did not). Now I never purchase it becaus there is not an instance that I would even come close to attaining that goal and I vacation each year in a NPS site. I would purchase it again regularly if the fee were decreased.

Reader Participation Day: Does Low Visitation Justify A National Park?

May 3rd - 10:14am | BRT Muir Woods hiker

I love hiking at Muir Woods National Monument in spite of the crowds. I support preserving low visitation parks, but their staffing and facilities budgets need to be kept within reasonable limits.

Array Of 17 Stations Will Help National Park Service Track Climate Events in Alaska

May 3rd - 08:53am | Brad

Don't really fancy seeing this metal technological contraptions when backpacking in a remote location expecting to only see nature at its wildest.

May 2nd - 16:50pm | Kurt Repanshek

Is "near real-time" good enough? These observations will be posted to the Western Regional Climate Center’s (WRCC) web site in near real-time (http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/NPS.html)

May 2nd - 16:44pm | Reality Check

Can the information from the sites be accessed in "real time, thus being less likely the information could be altered (This has happened before).  It is such now days that agendas take precedent over "reality" in more cases than one would expect.  Science has had a free ride until those interpreting data have let their personal inclinations and financial interests overcome better judgement.

May 2nd - 15:44pm | Kurt Repanshek

Good point. Should be "climate" throughout.

May 2nd - 15:37pm | Anonymous

Is it "climate" stations or "weather" stations. We've long been told not to confuse the two terms.

Corporate Relations And The National Parks: Good Deal?

May 3rd - 08:49am | Brad

Lady Bird Supporter, great example, and I agree with you 100%.

May 2nd - 20:17pm | y_p_w

samsdad1: What food do you prefer to hike in and out with? Share the recipes of the wild...?

May 2nd - 16:24pm | Ed123

Beggers can't be choosers NPS could plaster ad's on the side of the shuttles is some parks

May 2nd - 14:03pm | samsdad1

I fully agree and that documentary was great where I also agree that those bars are not great trail food. How about what that guys teeth look like that left the mountain scene in his granola bar... Now there is another great idea for an article... What food do you prefer to hike in and out with? Share the recipes of the wild...?

May 2nd - 10:30am | y_p_w

samsdad1: Hey YPW would it have been better to hike an entire film crew and equipment into the back woods with generators and all to film in a spot few people would recognize as being really remote? Better yet let them drive ORV's or helicopter in!

May 2nd - 06:54am | samsdad1

Hey YPW would it have been better to hike an entire film crew and equipment into the back woods with generators and all to film in a spot few people would recognize as being really remote? Better yet let them drive ORV's or helicopter in! I also like the fact the Toyota donated like 20 million a few years back and no one said a word

May 1st - 19:16pm | y_p_w

I'm not sure if I care for the series of Nature Valley commercials that has been airing over the past few years. They show scenes made to look like someone has spend hours getting to some remote location. One of them shows Convict Lake in California which is an area with docks, and supposed "resort" lodging.

May 1st - 18:19pm | debra

Nature Valley is an incredible spokesperson for the Parks and conservation on their Facebook page.  I have been impressed at how much they work to get the NPS message - and natural history knowledge - out.  Don't want to see granola bar wrappers blowing around the parks either,  but do like the corporate interest.

May 1st - 13:53pm | y_p_w

Chevron paid for the majority of the rebuilding of the Lower Yosemite Fall area that was completed in 2005. I also remember going on a naturalist guided activity at Bryce Canyon on the official NPS schedule of activities. The naturalist was from a private organization and wore a uniform with a prominent Ford Motor Co logo on her sleeve.

May 1st - 09:09am | Lady Bird Supporter

May 1st - 07:31am | Greed is Good

Go to the St. Louis Arch for the "Fair St. Louis" July 4th event and you will see a massive sign over the stage "Budwiser Salutes the National Park Service."  I cannot think of anything more offensive and inappropriate.

May 1st - 05:52am | Lone Hiker

If Corporate America can stand the thought of an NPS that stands firmly with the mantra "Give us your money and keep your products and services FAR away from our properties" then I say fine, take the money and run.

Reflecting On The "State Of The National Parks" In The Wake Of National Park Week

May 3rd - 06:39am | samsdad1

" " oops there you go... just kidding here is where it came from. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1568/is_9_30/ai_53747403/

May 2nd - 17:48pm | Anonymous

Could you provide a reference for the alleged comments of David Graber?  I have to think you are paraphrasing some statement of his, due to the lack of quotation marks.

May 2nd - 17:07pm | Ryan

Behind the scenes from one perspective...

May 2nd - 13:59pm | samsdad1

Typical enviro... Ignore the facts and point out the irrelevant. Please notice I simply showing all sides what has gone on behind the scenes that no one on this site wants to show.

May 2nd - 09:30am | Ryan

samsdad1, If you cite a website with obvious religious overtones, it's credibilty is instantly in question.  I am not saying who is right or wrong here, but your citation is just as biased as one that may be used from the NPS...just saying.

May 2nd - 06:48am | samsdad1

http://www.discerningtoday.org/problem_esa_full.htm Read it fully and understand that ORV's are not your only problem... I especially like this section...

By the Numbers: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

May 2nd - 18:18pm | Richard Smith

Some photovoltaics are no more green than their predecessors, as the water pumps used to be hand operated.   I liked the older ways better, nostalgia I guess.

Road Trip 2011: The National Park Lodges

May 2nd - 13:26pm | Craig Kenkel

There's another hotel in a national park in San Francisco--the wonderful Argonaut at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.  Kimpton Hotel Group rehabilitated the historic California Cannery warehouse seven years ago and still operates this boutique, four-star hotel today.  The building also houses the park visitor center and the NPS Pacific West Information Center, and is ideally sit

The Case of the Indian Trader: Billy Malone And the National Park Service Investigation At Hubbell Trading Post

May 2nd - 08:57am | Bri

Wow, interesting article. I might have to read this book! :-) As for culture in the NPS - there is def. been a lot of books suggesting that NPS does what they want- another book that eludes to this is "Playing God in Yellowstone".

Report Raises Concerns Over How Colorado River Basin Dams Impact National Parks

May 1st - 19:46pm | Anonymous

The dams and diversions will be bypassed or destroyed as per the specifications for the establishment of the new earth.

May 1st - 19:19pm | corporate trave...

People should be aware that Colorado dam systems must be taken care of especially it would affect much of our National Parks.

May 1st - 13:42pm | y_p_w

There are powerful human forces at work here. It's a dry area where the Colorado River is the predominant water source. They can't even do anything about the relatively small Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. I'm not saying it's right, but there's strong political backing to keep these dams operating as they are.

Understanding Mountain Lions at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Gets A Boost From New Lion

Apr 30th - 22:17pm | Karen

I took a rather late hike in Reck Park in Topanga this evenng with my dog. We had we were just entering back into the residential area about 7:30 p.m., and I heard a dog that lives in the nearest house off the trail going crazy, my dog got suddenly very alert, and a mountain lion dashed up the hill next to us so fast it took my breath away.

Tour Group Gets Up Close -- Too Close! -- To Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park

Apr 30th - 21:12pm | DD-393

"Let's look down a hole that's full of superheated water."  The perfect vacation.  What a bunch of knuckleheads.  Destructive knuckleheads.  They should all have been fined, thrown out of the park, and the tour company banned from the park.  The punishment did not fit the crime, in this instance.

Apr 30th - 19:47pm | Megaera

Stupid is not the correct word.  They knew what they were doing, and chose to break the rules.  It would have served them right to get erupted on.  Except that the park service has much better things to spend its money on than defending from frivolous lawsuits.

Apr 30th - 17:31pm | Lone Hiker

On the one hand it's a shame Ms. Faithful didn't choose one of those moments when the group was still on the apron to spout and "untimley" steam bath their direction.

Reader Participation Day: What Do You Want To Read About National Parks?

Apr 30th - 17:45pm | Kurt Repanshek

LH, have you tapped into my computer? Watch these pages next week.....

Apr 30th - 17:43pm | Lone Hiker

Hey Kurt, I'm more than just a little late, but personally I'd like to read about how the NPS is going to reinstate the $50 / year  "National Parks Annual Pass".  Hell, make it $75 for all I care.  Now THAT would be newsworthy.

Murder Suspect Rescued, Then Arrested, by Rangers at Grand Canyon National Park

Apr 30th - 17:40pm | Lone Hiker

I guess all the fuss over how dangerous the National Parks are is just a bunch of hot air.  Take Grand Canyon for instance.  Twice in one week.....one guy jumps in, the other pretends it's a Jack-in-the-Box, and neither is the worse for wear.  Somebody should make canyon jumping the next Olympic extreme sport!

Driver Survives Plunge Off South Rim At Grand Canyon National Park

Apr 30th - 17:33pm | Lone Hiker

Maybe this guy should get together with the tour group from Yellowstone..... Texting, sexting, gawking, having a Kodak moment or whatever, better luck next time bud!

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