Travel
Entry Fees At Oregon National Parks Are Going Up Soon
The National Park Service says the increases will apply to 117 parks across the country that charge an entrance fee, including 2 in Oregon.
Entrance fees to popular national parks will rise this summer, though the price increase will not be as dramatic as the Interior Department had originally proposed.
The National Park Service said the changes include a $5 increase to most seven-day vehicle passes, but more than two-thirds of national parks will remain free to enter.
In Oregon, the entrance fee increase applies to Crater Lake National Park and Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in Cannon Beach. Increases will also be seen at nearby Fort Vancouver National Historical Site in Washington and at the Lava Beds National Monument in Northern California.
Find out what's happening in Across Oregonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The fee proposal introduced in October had a public comment period that ended in November, and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said the public's input helped the department to come up with a plan that focuses on modest increases at 117 parks.
The October proposal would have dramatically increased entrance fees at 17 of the most popular national parks.
Find out what's happening in Across Oregonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The NPS said the increase in entrance fees is needed to raise additional revenue to address the $11.6 billion in deferred maintenance costs across the parks system.
The changes will be implemented in many parks starting June 1, while some parks will see changes at different times. The NPS said all of the revenue from the fee increases will remain within the service and at least 80 percent of the money will stay in the park where it is collected.
The price of the annual America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass and Lifetime Senior Pass will remain $80.
Here’s how prices at Oregon's interior and nearby national parks will be changing:
Crater Lake National Park, Southern Oregon
| Park-Specific Annual Pass | Per Vehicle | Per Person | Per Motorcycle | |
| Current | $40 | $15 | $10 | $10 |
| As of May 13 | $50 | $25 | $12 | $20 |
| As of Jan. 1, 2020 | $55 | $30 | $15 | $25 |
Fort Vancouver National Historical Site, Southern Washington
| Park-Specific Annual Pass | Per Vehicle | Per Person | Per Motorcycle | |
| Current | $30 | $7 | ||
| As of Jan. 1, 2019 | $35 | $10 |
Lava Beds National Monument, Northern California
| Park-Specific Annual Pass | Per Vehicle | Per Person | Per Motorcycle | |
| Current | $40 | $20 | $10 | $15 |
| As of Jan. 1, 2019 | $45 | $25 | $15 | $20 |
Lewis & Clark National Historical Park, Western Oregon
| Park-Specific Annual Pass | Per Vehicle | Per Person | Per Motorcycle | |
| Current | $20 | $5 | ||
| As of June 1, 2018 | $30 | $7 | ||
| As of Jan. 1, 2020 | $35 | $10 |
Click here for the nationwide list of park price increases.
Feroze Dhanoa, Patch National Staff, contributed to this report.
Image via Lindsay Snow/Shutterstock
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