It's going to cost you a bit more to enjoy this view of the Cathedral Group at Grand Teton, unless you have an America the Beautiful national parks pass/NPS.
It's going to cost a bit more to get into Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks this summer. Indeed, if you visit both parks and don't have a national parks pass, it will cost more than double to visit them than it does today.
Last summer, National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis issued a directive to all parks that they were to start moving their entrance fee schedules towards one national model with four tiers. For Yellowstone and Grand Teton, both in the top tier, that gave the parks' superintendents an opportunity to generate more funds for their parks.
At Yellowstone, Superintendent Dan Wenk decided to split the long-running practice of allowing visitors to enter both Yellowstone and Grand Teton under one $25 fee that allowed entry for seven days. Beginning June 1, a seven-day pass to Yellowstone will cost $30, as will a seven-day pass to enter Grand Teton.
'We use our entrance fees to complete critical projects that benefit park visitors and our natural resources,' said Superintendent Wenk. 'Eighty percent of the revenue we collect stays right here in Yellowstone and funds projects including road repairs, campground upgrades, rehabilitation of park structures, accessibility improvements for people with disabilities, radio and utility systems improvements, native fish restoration and aquatic invasive species mitigation.'
The park estimates that the higher entrance fees will generate $11 million of revenue per year, approximately $3 million more than the current fee schedule produces.
Yellowstone's New Entrance Fees
'¢ Vehicles: $30 per vehicle for 1-7 days. People visiting both parks can save $10 by purchasing a $50 two-park vehicle pass, also valid for 1-7 days. Or, they can spend $80 on a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands pass and visit as many parks as they want as many times as they want in one calendar year.
'¢ Motorcycles: Motorcycles can enter Yellowstone for $25 for 1-7 days or both parks for $40.
'¢ Individuals: Per person fees will be $15 for Yellowstone or $20 for both parks.
'¢ Annual Passes: Yellowstone's annual pass will be $60. This pass offers visitors in the local area an option that is less expensive than the $80 Interagency Pass. The Interagency Pass rates will remain the same: Annual ($80) and Senior ($10). Military passes and Access passes (for people with permanent disabilities) will remain free.
Park managers proposed a new structure for entrance fees and reached out to stakeholders through a public comment period last November and December. The park solicited comments via mail and online, held meetings in Cody, Wyoming, Jackson, Wyoming, and Bozeman, Montana, and held conference calls with congressional delegation staff, county commissioners, concessioners, and commercial use authorization holders. The 2014 proposal included a 1-3-day pass, but it was dropped based on public comment.
At Grand Teton, officials expect the higher fees to generate an additional $1.2 million for use in the park. The added income will be used to fund trail improvements in the Jenny Lake area; restore and stabilize historic buildings for greater understanding and appreciation of the park's history and culture; expand youth outreach programs; and resurface park roads.
The proposed change underwent a 30-day public review and comment period at the end of 2014, and the new fee structure was approved after full consideration of impacts to visitors and local communities. Grand Teton received 59 official comments and park managers heard from nearly a dozen people during a public open house. While some people expressed concern for the fee increase, others expressed support of this change.
Grand Teton's New Entrance Fees
* Private vehicle: $30 for a 7-day pass to enter only Grand Teton National Park
* Foot or bicycle: $15 for a 7-day pass to enter only Grand Teton National Park
* $20 for a 7-day pass to enter both Grand Teton and Yellowstone by foot/bicycle
* Motorcyle: $25 for a 7-day pass to enter only Grand Teton National Park
* $40 for a 7-day pass to enter both Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Park by motorcycle
'When compared to other destinations and tourist attractions across the U.S., national parks provide outstanding opportunities to experience our American heritage and make lasting memories through an affordable family vacation,' said Grand Teton Superintendent David Vela. 'The relatively modest increase in entry fees is not expected to significantly alter park visitation, which reached an all-time high in 2014 with nearly 2.8 million recreational visits recorded.'
Support Essential Coverage of Essential Places
Comments
Is there any noise over raising the annual parks pass price yet? Or was the $30 jump a few years ago enough to satisfy them?
'fraid it was more than "a few years ago," Megaera. It's been at least six years, and likely more.
That said, I think they are reviewing the pricing, but haven't heard of an imminent increase.
Kurt, others that are interested in this issue, PJ Ryan's latest issue of "Thunderbear" #295 (you can google Thunderbear and access the commentary there), lays out the issue really well in his own style, he really hits the crux of the issue. It is well worth the read. I am opposed to these increases, but PJ articulates it much better than I.
and you probably come with a $40,000 vehicle $200 a night motels ect and think rangers work free? Bridges last forever? Roads? Rest areas? I hope they raise it to $100 and yes I am going there this summer
The poor underfunded NPS. What a bunch of crybabies. With Jarvis at the helm let's charge, charge charge. taxpayer lands funded by taxpayer dollars and we need to charge taxpayers to use it. Mather would be rolling in his grave along with John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt. I believe that Americans are free to purchase whatever RV's they want. With Joe Blow NPS Ranger mentality, the parks should be like Disney world with a tiered pay system. How many more scandals involving Jarvis and the Ueberagge types should the public be forced to endure before booting this bad seed ranger to the curb?
And yet again we see the Great American Entitlement Mentality on full display.
"I want it! I demand it! But don't you DARE ask me to pay for it!"
We already paid for it. We own it.
Amazing and so predictable.
Emotionally ripping one's own chest hair out in anger over a year old story.