Why Do Some National Parks Charge An Entrance Fee?

Above, Yellowstone National Park's South Entrance Gate. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yahoo! News has posted an article on, "Why do some national parks charge an entrance fee?" 

Frankly, I think the better question would be, "Why do some national parks don't charge an entrance fee?"

Regardless, the article is informative as it explains where the money generated goes to and what for.

This has not been an issue for me, especially after I turned 62 and got the Senior Lifetime Pass. I got it for $10, before the cost went up to $80. Still, even at $80, it is well worth having. Visiting three national parks in one trip would essentially make the Pass pay for itself.

The article begins with:

(NEXSTAR) — There is no question that the more than 400 national parks, monuments, seashores, historic sites, recreation areas, and other sites overseen by the National Park Service are stunning.

But before you can visit some, you may have to pay.

Across the entire National Park Service, which includes 425 units, only 109 charge an entrance fee.

Nearly all have a park-specific annual pass, ranging from $35 to $70. Many also have fees per vehicle, person or motorcycle that vary from $5 to $35. If you’re a frequent visitor to many national parks or federal recreational lands, you may want the America The Beautiful annual pass worth $80.

At this point, you may have had a common realization: we pay federal taxes, which can be used to fund the National Park Service, so why do I need to pay to get into a national park at all?

To read more, go here.