It's going to cost you a bit more to enter Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks beginning in January/NPS

Come the first of the year it's going to cost you a bit more to get into Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, and to camp there, as well.

Entrance fees to the two parks will increase from $20 for a seven-day vehicle pass to $30, while the annual pass allowing access to Sequoia and Kings Canyon will go from $30 a year to $50.

If you plan to walk, hike, or ride your bike into the parks, the fee will go from $10 for seven days to $15. A seven-day pass for motorcyclists will increase from $10 per individual to $20 for 2016, and then $25 for 2017.

Commercial tour flat fee rates remain at current rates. All interagency passes would remain at current rates: Annual ($80), Senior ($10), Access (Free), and Military (Free).

As for camping fees, backcountry wilderness fees that have been $15 per permit will go to $10 per permit plus $5 per person in your group.

Front-country camping fees are moving to a system more tied to group size. You can find details at this site.

"This modest increase in fees will allow us to continue to protect, preserve and share Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks with current visitors and future generations," said Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Superintendent Woody Smeck. "After carefully considering the impact of a fee increase on visitors and community members, we came to the conclusion that this is the right course of action to improve facilities and services important to visitors."

Entrance fees have supported a wide range of projects that improve the park and visitor experiences, including rehabilitating trails and trailhead signs, developing and installing exhibits in visitor centers, providing ongoing shuttle transportation inside the parks, and improving accessibility, according to park officials. Additional revenue from these fee increases will be spent similarly, plus on other projects, such as rehabilitation of the Crystal Cave Trail and access area, improvement of habitat areas, replacement of outdated outdoor exhibits, and more.

While the majority of comments supported an increase, a few people had concerns:

* The largest concern voiced by commenters was about making park visits too expensive for under-served populations. To address this concern, several additional Fee-Free Days will be available at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, in addition to nationwide Fee-Free Days in 2016: April 23-Junior Ranger Day; June 4-National Trails Day; June 18-Buffalo Soldiers Special Event, and; December 11-the Annual Nation's Christmas Tree celebration. 

* Based upon comments from a handful of motorcyclists, park management decided to phase in the increase in pricing for motorcycle users between 2016 and 2017.