The National Park Service spends tens of millions of dollars in visitor fees on various improvement projects.

In recent years more than $20 million in funding generated through park entrance fees and other fee programs the National Park Service is authorized to implement through the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act has been spent across the National Park System.

The projects the funds have gone to are both mundane and fascinating. During the two years captured in the attached document, there are nearly 7,300 projects. The spreadsheet covering FY2020-2022 (attached below) shows the money has gone to projects large and small.

For instance, at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota $2,130 was spent to replace a drinking fountain at the Painted Canyon overlook, and at Glacier National Park in Montana $3,189.64 was spent to upgrade two Apgar campground restrooms to accessibility standards.

On the other end of the spectrum, Yosemite National Park in California spent $87,749.94 over two years to "rehabilitate the 1,800 linear feet (LF) Crane Flat Campground Loop E road and 39 campsites, seven of which shall be made fully accessible. This project will be one of several to rehabilitate and repair the badly deteriorated campgrounds that are located outside of Yosemite Valley and away from the Merced River corridor."

And $185,949.89 was spent to replace a temporary visitor center at San Juan Island National Historical Park in Washington state with a 2,500-square-foot permanent visitor center that includes "space for visitor orientation, cooperating association sales, seating for an updated audiovisual program, fully accessible exhibits and public restrooms. It will also include office and storage space for interpretive staff. Site improvements include expanded parking, an outdoor amphitheater for education programs, and a new replacement septic system."

The National Park Service at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia spent $1.62 millon over three years to rehabilitate the potable water system at the Elkwallow developed area.

In some cases, projects came in under budget. The Park Service at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area returned $310.25 from the funds it was allocated to "rehabilitate and stabalize trails and ruins to improve visitor experience at Defiance House." And, according to the spreadsheet, Shenandoah National Park returned one cent from the allocation it received to "replace or line culverts along Skyline Drive."