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You may soon have to pay $70 to visit these 17 national parks

The National Park Service is considering fee increases at some of the most popular national parks to generate revenue for improvements that it says are badly needed.

This new proposal would establish peak-season entrance fees at 17 national parks.

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National Park Service proposes fee increases at 17 national parks 

During the five busiest contiguous months at each park, the entrance fee would be $70 per private, non-commercial vehicle, $50 per motorcycle and $30 per person on bike or foot.

Current rates vary by park, but this proposal would more than double entrance fees during those peak periods.

To give you some context, the Grand Canyon's current rates are $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle and $15 per person on bike or foot.

Here are the parks impacted by the proposed new fee structure:

Peak season starting May 1, 2018

  • Arches National Park
  • Bryce Canyon National Park
  • Canyonlands National Park
  • Denali National Park
  • Glacier National Park
  • Grand Canyon National Park
  • Grand Teton National Park
  • Olympic National Park
  • Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
  • Yellowstone National Park
  • Yosemite National Park
  • Zion National Park

Peak season starting June 1, 2018

  • Acadia National Park
  • Mount Rainier National Park
  • Rocky Mountain National Park
  • Shenandoah National Park

Peak season starting TBA 

  • Joshua Tree National Park

The cost of the NPS’ annual pass, which provides entrance to all federal lands for a year, would remain $80.

This proposal only raises fees at the 17 parks listed above. Only 118 of the country’s 417 park sites charge an entrance fee, so the majority of national parks will remain free to enter.

You can also avoid the fee hike by planning your trip during off-peak months, typically in the fall and winter.

If it’s implemented, the peak-season price structure could increase national park revenue by $70 million a year — money that would go to improving the NPS’ aging infrastructure.

You can submit a comment about the proposal through November 23. Read more here.

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