Efforts by the staff at Great Smoky Mountains National Park to raise revenues through parking fees are being opposed by a state senator in North Carolina.

This past week Senator Kevin Corbin (R-Macon) read a Senatorial statement on the floor of the North Carolina Assembly urging opposition to the fee proposal.

"The park was established as a fee-free park and it was understood by those that gave up their lands to create the park that there would never be a charge to enter or enjoy the park," said the senator. "The proposed parking fee represents a clear attempt to circumvent the historical understanding and agreements for a fee-free park and would be a significant blow to the public's trust."

Unable to charge a traditional park entrance fee, Great Smoky officials say the fee, along with increases in rates charged for front-country and backcountry campsites, picnic pavilions, and day-use cabin rentals, would contribute to support of the operational costs for managing and improving services for visitors including trail maintenance, custodial services, trash removal, and supporting more law enforcement staffing across the park.

Over the last decade, visitation to Great Smoky increased by 57 percent to a record 14.1 million visits in 2021. With rising costs and more visitation, additional revenue is critical to support upkeep of the park, park staff say. The proposed fee changes would result in park users more directly contributing towards upkeep of the park.  

But Corbin said the proposal is facing local opposition in North Carolina, and that "the Board of Commissioners in Swain, Haywood, and Graham Counties have expressed opposition to the imposition of parking fees and any other fees that are not directly associated with the use of amenities in the park."

Senator Corbin's Senatorial Statement has language identical to that of House Joint Resolution 1170, introduced by Representative Mike Clampitt (R-Swain), that overwhelmingly passed the NC House on June 14. HJR 1170 includes a call for Congress to take action: "it is the role of Congress to fund our National Parks through the federal appropriations process, not individual citizens through parking fees."

"The General Assembly urges Congress to take action in preventing any proposed parking fees for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or any further fee for the use of Great Smoky Mountains National Park," the resolution concluded. "The General Assembly does hereby proclaim its earnest desire to see the Great Smoky Mountains National Park remain freely accessible to all North Carolinians and continue as the naturally wild and fee-free unit of the National Park Service that it has been in the past."