Time is running out to submit comments on the proposed peak period fee initiative at 17 popular national parks.
The National Park Service (NPS) has proposed increasing “peak season” fees at 17 national parks starting in 2018 to help combat the growing maintenance backlog, which currently amounts to almost $12 billion. “Peak season” would be defined as each park’s busiest contiguous five-month period. Entrance fees for seven days would rise to $70 per private, non-commercial vehicle, $50 per motorcycle, and $30 per person on bike or foot.
The proposed increases would take place at Acadia, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Denali, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Joshua Tree, Mount Rainier, Olympic, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Shenandoah, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion National Parks.
The American Recreation Coalition is supporting the proposal but urging modifications so that fees can be a tool to encourage visitation during non-peak days within the 5-month period and to discourage fee-free days during peak season. ARC's comments will appear here, along with comments by other leading recreation organizations.
The comment period closes on Thursday, Nov. 23. Comments can be submitted through NPS’ website, here.
NPS, along with the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, is authorized to collect fees under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA). Eighty percent of fees collected under FLREA remain at the collecting site.
For more information on FLREA, click here.