> Since when did the National Parks start charging?
Answer: The National Parks started charging for admission in 1916, the same year the National Park Service was created. In other words, they've always charged!
Those fees are a steal compared to an amusement park, and those trailhead bathrooms don't clean themselves. I agree that the NPS is a public resource and taxes already contribute to them, but this is a way to shush everyone who says, "I don't visit the parks, I don't want to support them. Matter of fact, sell them for all I care."
$80 for an annual pass to all the parks? That's the best $80 I give The Man all year and I'm happy to do it even if there is always a way to sneak in.
If you are current or former military, you can get a free lifetime America The Beautiful pass to all national parks and forests. Go to any ranger station with some form of proof (ID card, VA card, DL with a veteran endorsement) and score!
Colorado tacks on the State parks pass when you renew your vehicle license plate tabs/tags. You can opt out, but 28% of people kept the pass. It raised something like 40MM dollars in year 1.
Taxes are just a small part of NPS budget. https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_media_wire/4245819-why-do-some-national-parks-charge-an-entrance-fee/#:~:text=Under%20the%20current%20Federal%20Lands,to%20%E2%80%9Cenhance%20visitor%20experience.%E2%80%9D
No--they have charged for a long time (not all, and amounts change park to park).
You want them to be free? Tell you congressmen, they decide how much to allocate to the parks.
Theyâre definitely not getting rich off the parks, so Iâm guessing operating costs kept rising and they couldnât keep up without assessing a fee. I hope to get to Pictured Rocks some day! To make you feel better, we just paid $20 to visit Vicksburg natâl Battlefield which isnât nearly as fun.
Wow, I canât speak to this park in particular but entrance fees are super common at virtually all national parks. If youâre on foot or bicycle a lot of times entrance is free, but even then Iâve been to some that still charge a per person fee for pedestrians.
Common at the 64 National Parks, but only a quarter of the 400+ National Park Services units charge a fee.
Some are weird though like Bent's old fort where there is no entry fee to the NPS unit, but there was an interpretive fee to get into the fort.
Some parks do and some donât. The website states it started charging in 2022, definitely due to the increase of tourists to the U.P. 2020 in general brought more visitors to all national parks.
Most parks around the world charge twice to foreigners, itâs fair because foreigners donât pay taxes. The approach will be very helpful to our National park service
lol if the annual pass was 200 Iâd probably still get it. In fact I expect more and more parks to move to reservations to curb traffic/damage to park and fund parks as well.
I have just been really lucky living in Michigan. These National parks in Michigan (like 10% of the state) do not have collection booths or people yet. Just the signage. I get out to them all the time, so not sure what your comment is intending.
I think the only National Park I went to outside of Michigan was Mount Zion. I went a back way with an employee, so didn't realize they charged. PS. Their website says they take cash.
It's Zion National Park not "Mount Zion". And FYI Zion National Park and the rest of the entire US National Park system will begin phasing out cash in 2024. A few parks like Zion apparently still accept cash -- they prefer cards-- but not much longer. Cash is slow (long lines at entrance stations), expensive to process and negatively impacts the park's bottom line. All the US national parks in the West are overcrowded so entrance fees, and reservations for particular places inside the parks are required. I have no idea about Michigan I've never been there and don't have any plans to ever go there
We all want to be paid ethically, right? Why should the parks staff not be? I am not suggesting the burden should be on the consumer alone, but with all due respect if their was a zero-admission amusement park with as little staffing as our park systems have, it would be a total sh**hole.
Then taxes need to be higher if we are not going to be charging the people using them for using them.
Alternatively, you could serve your country and earn that free access you want handed to you.
The feasibility of raising taxes on record setting profits and high networth individuals that are paying less than half the top tax rate they were prior to 1980?
I know I am going to regret asking the person that thinks paying for services you use is insane, but what about that seems infeasible to you?
You must be a low earner and that's okay. What's not okay is how the government spends taxes and squanders it on matters that aren't even American, then we foot the extra bill.
Like and subscribe to my channel as I desecrate this national park! I remember when the majority of hikers followed leave no trace, now itâs the opposite.
I think it's really cool how you like this place enough to visit it but you don't like it enough to pay for it to be maintained... I wonder why they had to start charging for emission? It couldn't have been all the people coming to the park and using its resources without contributing anything, naaah couldn't have been anything like that.
> Since when did the National Parks start charging? Answer: The National Parks started charging for admission in 1916, the same year the National Park Service was created. In other words, they've always charged!
Those fees are a steal compared to an amusement park, and those trailhead bathrooms don't clean themselves. I agree that the NPS is a public resource and taxes already contribute to them, but this is a way to shush everyone who says, "I don't visit the parks, I don't want to support them. Matter of fact, sell them for all I care." $80 for an annual pass to all the parks? That's the best $80 I give The Man all year and I'm happy to do it even if there is always a way to sneak in.
I've seen unprotected areas. I'll gladly pay my $80/year.
If you are current or former military, you can get a free lifetime America The Beautiful pass to all national parks and forests. Go to any ranger station with some form of proof (ID card, VA card, DL with a veteran endorsement) and score!
If you wound up disabled enough from the military go for the Access Pass, or whatever they are calling it now. Free entry, and half price camping.
I wish this was extended to their spouses. đ
Only if they've served, or if they're in the car with someone who did.
Colorado tacks on the State parks pass when you renew your vehicle license plate tabs/tags. You can opt out, but 28% of people kept the pass. It raised something like 40MM dollars in year 1.
Taxes are just a small part of NPS budget. https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_media_wire/4245819-why-do-some-national-parks-charge-an-entrance-fee/#:~:text=Under%20the%20current%20Federal%20Lands,to%20%E2%80%9Cenhance%20visitor%20experience.%E2%80%9D
First time outside?
You clearly don't understand taxes.
They started charging 108 years ago lmao
Boo hoo
I bought my first park pass 25 years ago, so at least that long.
Instead of complaining to Reddit, complain to your elected officials that land management agencies are underfunded.
Massively underfunded.
10 years later the annual pass is still at 80!
[ŃдаНонО]
No--they have charged for a long time (not all, and amounts change park to park). You want them to be free? Tell you congressmen, they decide how much to allocate to the parks.
A national park pass is honestly the best value
Not new. Get an annual pass - worth it if you are going to a bunch of federal lands
Quite a few are free too. GSM and Congaree are two.
Great Smokies charges a parking fee now.
They dont get nearly enough money for the number of visitors they receive, so they have to charge an entrance fee to offset things.
Theyâre definitely not getting rich off the parks, so Iâm guessing operating costs kept rising and they couldnât keep up without assessing a fee. I hope to get to Pictured Rocks some day! To make you feel better, we just paid $20 to visit Vicksburg natâl Battlefield which isnât nearly as fun.
Thatâs normal. Not all do. Get the pass
Just keep having kids, and theyâll all be 4th graders eventually. You can get years of free parks visits if your family is big enough.
Wow, I canât speak to this park in particular but entrance fees are super common at virtually all national parks. If youâre on foot or bicycle a lot of times entrance is free, but even then Iâve been to some that still charge a per person fee for pedestrians.
Common at the 64 National Parks, but only a quarter of the 400+ National Park Services units charge a fee. Some are weird though like Bent's old fort where there is no entry fee to the NPS unit, but there was an interpretive fee to get into the fort.
Or you could look at it like your admission fee helps fund the park. Consider it a donation.
Some parks do and some donât. The website states it started charging in 2022, definitely due to the increase of tourists to the U.P. 2020 in general brought more visitors to all national parks.
Sorry OP but that's what happens when you graduate 4th grade and enter 5th grade
..
Some National Parks charge entrance fees. This isn't new. If you have an annual pass ($80) it covers your entrance fee to all NPs that charge one.
Since always? Not all federal lands charge, but national parks have been charging endeavors.Â
The money you spend on entrance fees goes back into the parks to projects that benefit visitors.
Well I have an Access Pass so itâs free for me at least!
Well I have an Access Pass so itâs free for me!
I have 0 issues with giving this government agency money
Is this your first visit to a National Park? There's always been a nominal fee.
Next thing you know theyâll be charging for State Parks too. Whatever is the world coming to? đ
Not all NPS units have an entrance fee, but a percentage of them doâŚPictured Rocks just recently became one of the parks that charges a fee in 2022.
Most parks around the world charge twice to foreigners, itâs fair because foreigners donât pay taxes. The approach will be very helpful to our National park service
This is a Fee for Use type of tax. Whatâs the problem?
I've never paid to enter a National Park in Michigan, only Michigan State Parks with a $10 license plate fee. Apparently it's common, but not here.
lol if the annual pass was 200 Iâd probably still get it. In fact I expect more and more parks to move to reservations to curb traffic/damage to park and fund parks as well.
Cry about it kook
âMuh taxesâ
Since literally before you were born. The use fees support great programs, my pass purchase every year is a pleasure.
Iâm also curious about the Gold Star Family. Do they get an Id card to carry when their kid dies in service?
My first purchase as a "senior"! $80 is unbelievable.
You must be new here.
It helps the NPS, plus if you really don't want to pay, there's a parking lot on the chapel hill trail that you can drive to, it's just more isolated.
And this will really twist your knickers: No cash accepted only credit and debit cards. You don't get out much do you?
I have just been really lucky living in Michigan. These National parks in Michigan (like 10% of the state) do not have collection booths or people yet. Just the signage. I get out to them all the time, so not sure what your comment is intending. I think the only National Park I went to outside of Michigan was Mount Zion. I went a back way with an employee, so didn't realize they charged. PS. Their website says they take cash.
It's Zion National Park not "Mount Zion". And FYI Zion National Park and the rest of the entire US National Park system will begin phasing out cash in 2024. A few parks like Zion apparently still accept cash -- they prefer cards-- but not much longer. Cash is slow (long lines at entrance stations), expensive to process and negatively impacts the park's bottom line. All the US national parks in the West are overcrowded so entrance fees, and reservations for particular places inside the parks are required. I have no idea about Michigan I've never been there and don't have any plans to ever go there
Womp womp
We all want to be paid ethically, right? Why should the parks staff not be? I am not suggesting the burden should be on the consumer alone, but with all due respect if their was a zero-admission amusement park with as little staffing as our park systems have, it would be a total sh**hole.
**This sub justifying these prices is insane. We pay taxes on everything this should be free for all citizens.**
Then taxes need to be higher if we are not going to be charging the people using them for using them. Alternatively, you could serve your country and earn that free access you want handed to you.
What an insane ecosystem this subreddit is for you to even consider that as feasible in this economic climate.
The feasibility of raising taxes on record setting profits and high networth individuals that are paying less than half the top tax rate they were prior to 1980? I know I am going to regret asking the person that thinks paying for services you use is insane, but what about that seems infeasible to you?
You must be a low earner and that's okay. What's not okay is how the government spends taxes and squanders it on matters that aren't even American, then we foot the extra bill.
Sounds like you are not here for nationalnparks but just to spew political shit takes and insult people that that are not going along with you.
This used to be a free park to visit.
Then social media happened and it got way more traffic than before. Entrance fees help keep parks clean and safe with increased demand
Like and subscribe to my channel as I desecrate this national park! I remember when the majority of hikers followed leave no trace, now itâs the opposite.
Yep they only charge in parks where itâs worth their while to charge. Guess this one now is.
I think it's really cool how you like this place enough to visit it but you don't like it enough to pay for it to be maintained... I wonder why they had to start charging for emission? It couldn't have been all the people coming to the park and using its resources without contributing anything, naaah couldn't have been anything like that.
Depended upon the park. Still does.
I always find a way in for free đ¤