The National Parks Service will be charging as much as a $70 entry fee into some parks during their peak season – more than double current fees – under a proposal to help with infrastructure improvements.
"The infrastructure of our national parks is aging and in need of renovation and restoration," Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke said. "Targeted fee increases at some of our most-visited parks will help ensure that they are protected and preserved in perpetuity and that visitors enjoy a world-class experience that mirrors the amazing destinations they are visiting."
Under the agency's plan, entrance fees for a private vehicle would increase to $70 during peak season, from its current rate of $25 to $30. Cost for a motorcycle entering the park could increase to $50, from the current fee of $15 to $25, CNN reported.
People coming on foot or on bike could pay $30, an increase from $10 to $15. An annual pass, which permits visitors to all federal lands and parks, would remain at $80, CNN said.
The fee increases would affect 17 national parks including Denali in Alaska; Grand Canyon in Arizona; Joshua Tree, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, and Yosemite in California; Rocky Mountain in Colorado; Acadia in Maine; Glacier in Montana; Shenandoah in Virginia; Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Canyonlands, and Zion in Utah; Mount Rainier and Olympics in Washington; and Grand Teton and Yellowstone in Wyoming.
CNN said the peak prices would affect each park's busiest five months.
The National Parks Service started a public comment period on the fee increases on Tuesday and it will remain online through Nov. 23 on its website
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