New National Park prices

[aeblank]

Don't forget, government "cuts" are simply a reduction in the 10% annual increases. They do it over many years too, to make the number bigger.

They don't practice normal people accounting.

[pgandw]

My take is slightly different. The increases will drastically cut down the number of 1 day visits - most of the better known parks have lots of 1 day visits from local residents. There will not be as much impact on the campers that stay for a week.

Logical consequences: locals will no longer be the mainstay of the parks with the high fees. This will cause imbalances in park use from the current situation - picnic grounds will be lightly used, campgrounds will be even harder to obtain a reservation. Food and souvenir concessionaires will also take a significant hit.

Living about 2 hours from Rocky Mountain National Park, and about 2.5 hours from the Great Sand Dunes National Park, we would hesitate to pay the existing $20 entrance fee at RMNP if we were only going to be there for a few hours. More often than not, we would just picnic and play in Estes Park (the town outside). Once we had a senior with a pass inside the car, going into the park became much less "let's think twice about this". Sand Dunes had a much cheaper entrance fee, and so a morning there was worthwhile.

Fred W

[dbarr]

Just purchased my new annual pass last week. Once again confirmed that only one signature is required and if I choose to add the second, I don't have to be related to the person that signs it.
I always leave it blank just in case I know someone that might need it.


$80 is still the best entertainment money I'll ever spend.