National Park fees to rise
Joshua Tree National Park has announced effective June 1, park fees will increase. The National Park Service held public meetings on proposed fee increases late in 2014, though it was predetermined that fee increases would be implemented this year. Public input was considered for how much fees would increase, not whether they would increase.
In consideration of public concerns, the park will maintain the current fee for the annual park pass and reduced proposed fee increases for motorcycles, though motorcycle fees will double. Here are new entrance fees for Joshua Tree National Park. Other parks are implementing increased fees as well.
New Entrance Fees:
7-Day Single Vehicle Pass increases from $15 to $20 and will increase to $25 in 2017.
7-Day Motorcycle Pass increases from $5 to $10 and will increase to $12 in 2017.
7-Day Person Pass increases from $5 to $10 and will increase to $12 in 2017.
Camping fees for Indian Cove, Black Rock, Black Rock Horse Camp, and Cottonwood (reservation campgrounds), increase from $15 to $20 per night, per site.
First come, first served campground sites (Belle, White Tank, Jumbo Rock, Ryan, and Hidden Valley) increase from $10 to $15 per night, per site.
Group camping sites (Indian Cove, Sheep Pass, Cottonwood) increase from $25-$40 to $35-$50 per night, per site.
There is a backcountry camping fee implementation approval using recreation.gov, however that may take place at a later time.
New Keys Ranch interpretive tour fees are also rising. Adult tickets double, from $5 to $10, which children (ages 6-11) doubling from $2.50 to $5 and children five and under are free.
Park superintendent David Smith said, "No one likes fee increases but the new money raised will be targeted at improving visitor facilities throughout the park. Best of all, we have received permission to use some of the increases to cover labor costs for increased maintenance and interpretive staffing in campgrounds."
Other parks around the Southwest are implementing their own fee increases. Zion and Bryce national parks in Utah will see per car entry fees rise from $25 to $30. Cedar Breaks has raised its entry fee to $5 per person, up from $4.
While rising fees raise concerns about public accessibility for parks, passes still remain a bargain. An annual pass for Joshua Tree National Park remains $30, and an interagency annual pass, a must for Southwest road trippers, remains at $80, Passes at Zion will be $50, at Bryce they will be $35
Free annual passes are available for active duty military personnel and their dependents with proper identification, and one of America's best senior discounts remains the Senior Pass - a lifetime entrance pass for U.S. citizens and permanent residents age 62 or over - at $10. In addition, the Senior Pass may provide a 50 percent discount on some amenity fees such as camping, swimming, boat launch, and interpretive services. A free Access Pass is avaialble to citizens and permanent residents with permanent disabilities.