U.S. Park Service allows parks to raises fees, some as high as $50 for annual pass

[dmcowen674]

10-27-2014

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...fees_n_6054042.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

U.S. National Parks Get The Go-Ahead To Raise Entrance Fees



The National Park Service has given 131 national parks permission to raise their entrance fees starting in 2015. Per-person prices could jump as much as 50 percent in Yosemite National Park and triple in Olympic National Park


Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has permission to change its annual pass fee from $25 to $50, and Crater Lake National Park has permission to boost its per-person fee from $5 to $12

 

[dmcowen674]

Sadly even the parks will only be for the rich.

What's maddening is that taxpayer money of the 99% is what pays for the parks to begin with and now many will no longer be able to afford go to a park. Me being one of them.

 

[x26]

Sadly even the parks will only be for the rich.

What's maddening is that taxpayer money of the 99% is what pays for the parks to begin with and now many will no longer be able to afford go to a park. Me being one of them.

Buy a Senior Yearly Pass--They use to be fairly cheap.--May even be Lifetime.

 

[michal1980]

Sadly even the parks will only be for the rich.

What's maddening is that taxpayer money of the 99% is what pays for the parks to begin with and now many will no longer be able to afford go to a park. Me being one of them.

well when you don't work you cant afford much. - which is good.

PS way to play the typical liberal victim

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Sadly even the parks will only be for the rich.

The parks have been hurting and have always been too cheap IMO.

What's maddening is that taxpayer money of the 99% is what pays for the parks to begin with and now many will no longer be able to afford go to a park. Me being one of them.

Good, if it keeps wackos like you out of the park, it is a win-win! Thanks Obama!

 

[Uppsala9496]

It's up to each individual park to decide if they'd actually like to raise their fees -- and if so, they'll have to conduct "community outreach," like town hall meetings and email comment campaigns, before the hikes go into effect, Slayton says.

Time points out that even if the price hikes happen, U.S. national parks will still be one of the best vacation bargains out there.

Whoa is me.

 

[cabri]

Annual pass vs a daily entrance fee.

Way to use the title to spin

 

[brycejones]

Annual pass vs a daily entrance fee.

Way to use the title to spin

Yeah no kidding.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

McOWNED again.

 

[PricklyPete]

I'm all for this. Yosemite is a zoo all summer.

 

[KB]

How much would you pay to see a movie? $12? Thats only 2 hours of entertainment. You can spend all day at a US Park for that much. I think they have long been too cheap, and since budgets are being cut, they need to raise the extra revenue. Like taxes, I won't be happy to pay it, but I will understand why I have to.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Something tells me that McOwned has never been to any Theme Parks as their one day admission is more than the annual park service pass in the his OP.

 

[xBiffx]

McOWNED again.

Yep. Like anyone was holding their breath on that one. :whiste:

 

[runzwithsizorz]

Buy a Senior Yearly Pass--They use to be fairly cheap.--May even be Lifetime.

It's good to be old, (sorta) :biggrin: Now don't hate me.

U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are at least 62 years old can purchase a Senior Pass for a one-time processing fee of $10. This Senior Pass to national parks and lands offers benefits to you and your traveling companions. Senior Pass to National Parks Benefits

• In National Parks that charge an entrance or standard amenity fee, the Senior Pass admits you and the passengers in your car or other private vehicle.
• In National Parks where a "per person" entrance fee is charged, the Senior Pass admits you plus three other adults (who need not be seniors). This is an especially good deal if you are also traveling with grandchildren, because children under 16 have free admission.
• The lifetime national parks Senior Pass also gives seniors a 50 percent discount on federal use fees charged for camping, swimming, boat launching, parking and tours.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Yep. Like anyone was holding their breath on that one. :whiste:

I would say it is like shooting fish in a barrel, but I wouldn't want to insult fish by comparing them to Dave.

 

[PricklyPete]

How much would you pay to see a movie? $12? Thats only 2 hours of entertainment. You can spend all day at a US Park for that much. I think they have long been too cheap, and since budgets are being cut, they need to raise the extra revenue. Like taxes, I won't be happy to pay it, but I will understand why I have to.

Not to mention the passes are good for a week (every park I can remember), so this is really a tremendous bargain. No one who wants to go is suddenly not going due to this increase.

 

[xBiffx]

I would say it is like shooting fish in a barrel, but I wouldn't want to insult fish by comparing them to Dave.

Meh, he lives in/wears a barrel so its not far off. :biggrin:

 

[michal1980]

Something tells me that McOwned has never been to any Theme Parks as their one day admission is more than the annual park service pass in the his OP.

if he saved up he could get the the whole national park annual pass for like 90 dollars. talk about value.

 

[rudder]

People who use the parks will have to pay to use the parks... the insanity!

 

[xBiffx]

People who use the parks will have to pay to use the parks... the insanity!

Dave's just pissed because he'll have to pay his way this time instead of getting some rich asshole to foot the bill like the rest of his welfare income.

 

[drbrock]

It is already 60 for an annual pass in Florida. Nothing huge for us. However I think that parks should be free or borderline free and that destroying park property should carry serious penalties. It kills me when I see people leave trash on trails.

 

[brandonb]

If it's run like any other business they need to worry about wages of employees. Revenue from ticket sales, etc. They need to do what they need to do like any other business. Ultimately, if the raised ticket prices means they are running at 0% operating margin (which is what I'd expect it to be) that means no tax dollars are going towards the park. And only those who visit the parks are maintaining the parks, which is how it should be.

Dave, how many times have you visited any of these parks over the last 5 years? My guess is zero.

 

[Triumph]

It's good to be old, (sorta) :biggrin: Now don't hate me.

U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are at least 62 years old can purchase a Senior Pass for a one-time processing fee of $10. This Senior Pass to national parks and lands offers benefits to you and your traveling companions. Senior Pass to National Parks Benefits

• In National Parks that charge an entrance or standard amenity fee, the Senior Pass admits you and the passengers in your car or other private vehicle.
• In National Parks where a "per person" entrance fee is charged, the Senior Pass admits you plus three other adults (who need not be seniors). This is an especially good deal if you are also traveling with grandchildren, because children under 16 have free admission.
• The lifetime national parks Senior Pass also gives seniors a 50 percent discount on federal use fees charged for camping, swimming, boat launching, parking and tours.

You know, my dad has this and uses it, and it's a bunch of bullshit. I mean really, it's so far out of whack from the normal pass price as to be insulting. How in the hell do you go from $80 a year, to $10 for life, just by being old? Fuck old people and their lobby groups.

 

[fskimospy]

A $50 annual pass is $4 per month. That seems like an extremely reasonable price.

 

[IronWing]

You know, my dad has this and uses it, and it's a bunch of bullshit. I mean really, it's so far out of whack from the normal pass price as to be insulting. How in the hell do you go from $80 a year, to $10 for life, just by being old? Fuck old people and their lobby groups.

I agree. Senior discounts are just another way of saying "youth surcharge".

Anyway, I don't see why anyone would buy an annual pass to a single park for $50 when you can buy an annual pass to all the parks for $80.

Of course for that same $80 you could run five cow/calf pairs on federal land for a year but that's another issue.