Grand Canyon National Park is proposing an increase in the price of admissions, posted on the park’s website. The decision follows similar proposed increases at Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Yosemite National Parks following an announcement that the National Park Service will be permitting park sites to increase entrance and amenity fees for the first time in eight years, .
Under the Grand Canyon proposal, a seven-day single-vehicle pass would rise from $25 to $30, and annual passes would increase from $50 to $60. Admission for individuals and motorcycles, currently both $12, would increase to $15 per individual and $25 per motorcycle.
Park officials say the additional revenue generated by the fee increases would go toward restoration and rehabilitation of visitor service buildings and repair and maintenance of park facilities.
“Obviously, everyone would love to have fees not go up, but we also know the reality is budgets have been static and tight,” Patrick O’Driscoll, a spokesperson for the National Park Service’s Denver-based Intermountain Region, . “Fees are one of the only ways that parks can try to catch up with some important improvements, badly needed upgrades.”
The Grand Canyon National Park website notes that current entrance fees have remained the same since 1997. New revenues there are slated to help fund a redesign of Mather Point and the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, renovate the Bright Angel Trailhead, and improve the park’s free shuttle bus system, which is expected to see 6.8 million boardings in 2014.