WAYNESBORO - Those traveling into the Shenandoah National Park could be seeing a huge increase in entrance fees during peak season.

According to a release from the National Park Service, it is considering increasing fees at highly visited national parks during peak visitor seasons. The Shenandoah National Park was named one of those parks during the peak season of June 1 to Oct. 31.

Currently, the daily entrance fee from one to seven days at the park for one car is $25. That would jump up to $70, according to the new proposal.

The new proposal could start as soon as the start of next year for some parks. Most likely for our area, the proposal would be put in place by June 2018.

Proposed peak season entrance fees and revised fees for road-based commercial tours will generate badly needed revenue for improvements to the aging infrastructure of national parks, the release said.

During a five-month peak-season at each of the 17 parks, the entrance fee for one to seven days would be $70 per vehicle, $50 per motorcycle and $30 per person. All of the funds would be used to improve facilities, infrastructure, and visitor services, with an emphasis on deferred maintenance projects, the release said.

Currently, an annual pass for Shenandoah National Park is $50. An annual America the Beautiful: The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, which provides entrance to all federal lands, including parks for a one-year period, is $80.

Under the new proposal, the annual pass for Shenandoah National Park would increase to $75, but the annual pass for all National Park would remain $80.



Under the proposal, peak season entrance fees would be established at 17 national parks. The peak season for each park would be defined as its busiest contiguous five month period of visitation.

Those parks and peak times include:

May 1 to Sept. 30 for Arches National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Denali National Park, Glacier National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Olympic National Park, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park and Zion National Park

June 1 to Oct. 31 for Acadia National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park and Shenandoah National Park

Jan. 1 to May 31 for Joshua Tree National Park

This isn't the first fee increase proposed. In 2015, the park did a two phase fee increase. At that point, the daily car entrance fee went from $10/15 to $20 to $25.

The National Park Service is also proposing entrance and permit fee adjustments for commercial tour operators, the release said. The proposal would increase entrance fees for commercial operators and standardize commercial use authorization requirements for road-based commercial tours, including application and management fees.

All commercial use authorization fees stay within the collecting park and would fund rehabilitation projects for buildings, facilities, parking lots, roads and wayside exhibits that would enhance the visitor experience. The fees will also cover the administrative costs of receiving, reviewing, and processing CUA applications and required reports.

“A huge jump in cost like this would make it harder for Virginia’s families to visit Shenandoah National Park, which so many of us treat like an extension of our backyards, and hurt our tourism economy. National Parks are meant to be affordable so middle-class families can enjoy America’s most spectacular natural beauty," said Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. "This principle dates back to the National Park Service’s founding in 1916. The Trump Administration and congressional Republicans would rather shift these costs onto Americans, instead of covering maintenance costs in the budget. They aren’t unable to invest in the parks; they are unwilling."

To comment

The public can comment about the National Park Service's proposal to implement peak season entrance fees at 17 national parks. A 30-day public comment period will open on Oct. 24 and close on Nov. 23.

People can submit comments electronically via the National Park Service's Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/proposedpeakseasonfeerates.

To comment use the "Document List" or "Open For Comment" project links in the left side navigation menu. Open the document and use the "Comment Now" button. Comments will also be accepted in writing.

To submit written comments, mail comments to National Park Service, Recreation Fee Program, 1849 C Street, NW, Mail Stop: 2346 Washington, DC 20240.

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