Yet Glacier National Park rebuilds a little-used backcountry chalet system at the behest of Montana's congressional delegation. The fee demonstration program, which Congress instituted in 1996, is beginning to change this state of affairs. Parks and other federal sites are charging realistic fees and most of these revenues are kept within the unit where they are collected. Although congressional appropriations are still the major source of funds for our public lands, the fee demonstration program is providing millions of dollars for much-needed repairs such as rebuilding trails at Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah. It is enabling Grand Teton to conduct wildlife surveys and has made it easier for many park visitors to obtain entrance passes.
Surveys indicate that visitors generally endorsed the fees, as long as they are used in the parks.
Fretwell's paper, part of the PERC Policy Series, is available from PERC as well as on this web site.