TARGETED FEE INCREASES AT PARKS TO ADDRESS MAINTENANCE BACKLOG

FACT SHEET

As part of its commitment to improve the visitor experience and increase revenue to help address 

the deferred maintenance backlog, the National Park Service is proposing to implement peak 

season entrance fees at 17 of its busiest national parks.

Peak season will be the busiest contiguous five month period of visitation for each park. 

● 1 park would start as soon as practical in 2018

● 12 parks would start May 1, 2018

● 4 parks would start June 1, 2018

A 30-day public comment period will open on 10/24/2017 and close on 11/23/2017. Interested 

parties are encouraged to make comments electronically via the National Park Service’s 

Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website 

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/proposedpeakseasonfeerates or in writing to 1849 C Street, NW, 

Mail Stop: 2346 Washington, DC 20240. 

Following the public comment period, feedback will help determine where, or if, peak season fee 

rates will be implemented.

Fees have become an important source of revenue used to improve the visitor experience and 

recreation opportunities in national parks and on other federal lands.

The funds raised are critically needed to improve facilities and infrastructure and to provide an 

enhanced level of service, all of which would have a direct impact on the visitor.

The 17 parks are:

● Acadia National Park (ACAD)

● Arches National Park (ARCH)

● Bryce Canyon National Park (BRCA)

● Canyonlands National Park (CANY)

● Denali National Park (DENA)

● Glacier National Park (GLAC)

● Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA)

● Grand Teton National Park (GRTE)

● Joshua Tree National Park (JOTR)

● Mount Rainier National Park (MORA)

● Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO)

● Olympic National Park (OLYM)

● Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park (SEKI)

● Shenandoah National Park (SHEN)

● Yellowstone National Park (YELL) 
● Yosemite National Park (YOSE)

● Zion National Park (ZION)

.

These 17 parks are the top revenue parks. They collect 70% of the total of all entrance fees 

throughout the country. 

The peak season for each park is defined as the busiest contiguous five month period of visitation

○ JOTR January 1-May 31

○ ARCH, BRCA, CANY, DENA, GLAC, GRCA, GRTE, OLYM, SEKI, YELL, 

YOSE, ZION May 1- September 30

○ ACAD, MORA, ROMO, SHEN June 1- October 31

During peak-season, the entrance fee will be $70 per private, non-commercial vehicle, $50 per 

motorcycle, and $30 per person. 

Additionally, the commercial tour entrance fee at these parks would also have a peak-season 

pricing. For additional information on commercial tour fees please visit the National Park 

Service’s Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at 

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/commercialtourrequirements.

The annual America the Beautiful-The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass 

which provides free entrance to all parks for a year will remain $80.

Entrance fees are not charged to persons under 16 years of age or holders of the America the 

Beautiful-The National Park and Federal Recreation Lands Annual, Senior, Military, Access, or 

Volunteer Passes or holders of EKIP passes. 

Implementing the seasonal pricing structure will likely increase total entrance fee revenues from 

$199.9M to $268.5M, annually - an increase of 34.3% over Fiscal Year 2016. 

All of the money will stay within the National Park Service. 80% of the money will remain in the 

park where it is collected. The other 20% will be spent on projects in other national parks. The 

funds will be expended on projects and activities that further the mission and purpose of the 

NPS, with an emphasis on deferred maintenance. This includes roads, bridges, campgrounds, 

waterlines, bathrooms, and other visitor services.

Access to the majority of National Park Service sites remains free; only 118 of 417 National Park 

Service sites charge an entrance fee. The other 299 national parks do not charge an entrance fee. 
Region National Park State

Current 

Park-Specific 

Annual Pass Fee

Current 

Per Vehicle 

Fee

Current 

Per Person 

Fee

Current 

Per Motorcycle 

Fee

Proposed 

Regular Season 

Park-Specific 

Annual Pass Fee

Proposed 

Regular Season 

Per Vehicle Fee

Proposed 

Regular Season 

Per Person Fee

Proposed 

Regular Season 

Per Motorcycle 

Fee

Proposed Peak 

Season ParkSpecific Annual 

Pass Fee

Proposed Peak 

Season Per 

Vehicle Fee

Proposed Peak 

Season Per 

Person Fee

Proposed Peak 

Season Per 

Motorcycle Fee

Proposed 

Peak 

Season 

Dates

Alaska Denali AK $40 $10 $75 $12 $75 $30 May-Sept

Intermountain Grand Canyon AZ $60 $30 $15 $25 $75 $30 $15 $25 $75 $70 $30 $50 May-Sept

Intermountain Yellowstone ID, MT, WY $60 $30 $15 $25 $75 $30 $15 $25 $75 $70 $30 $50 May-Sept

Intermountain Zion UT $50 $30 $15 $25 $75 $30 $15 $25 $75 $70 $30 $50 May-Sept

Intermountain Rocky Mountain CO $60 $30 $15 $25 $75 $30 $15 $25 $75 $70 $30 $50 Jun-Oct

Intermountain Grand Teton WY $60 $30 $15 $25 $75 $30 $15 $25 $75 $70 $30 $50 May-Sept

Intermountain Glacier MT $50 $30 $15 $25 $75 $30 $15 $25 $75 $70 $30 $50 May-Sept

Intermountain Bryce Canyon UT $35 $30 $15 $25 $75 $30 $15 $25 $75 $70 $30 $50 May-Sept

Intermountain Arches UT $50 $25 $10 $15 $75 $25 $12 $20 $75 $70 $30 $50 May-Sept

Intermountain Canyonlands UT $50 $25 $10 $15 $75 $25 $12 $20 $75 $70 $30 $50 May-Sept

Northeast Shenandoah VA $50 $25 $10 $20 $75 $25 $12 $20 $75 $70 $30 $50 Jun-Oct

Northeast Acadia ME $50 $25 $12 $20 $75 $25 $12 $20 $75 $70 $30 $50 Jun-Oct

Pacific West Yosemite CA $60 $30 $15 $25 $75 $30 $15 $25 $75 $70 $30 $50 May-Sept

Pacific West Sequoia & Kings Canyon CA $50 $30 $15 $25 $75 $30 $15 $25 $75 $70 $30 $50 May-Sept

Pacific West Joshua Tree CA $40 $25 $12 $12 $75 $25 $12 $20 $75 $70 $30 $50 Jan-May

Pacific West Mount Rainier WA $50 $25 $10 $20 $75 $25 $12 $20 $75 $70 $30 $50 Jun-Oct

Pacific West Olympic WA $50 $25 $10 $20 $75 $25 $12 $20 $75 $70 $30 $50 May-Sept