National Parks for the 1%

[jknowgood]

Your link says prices have been rising.. Some are doing it on their OWN.

The vehicle entrance fee to Acadia National Park would jump 180 percent – from $25 to $70 – next year under a National Park Service proposal already eliciting concerns from some Bar Harbor-area groups and businesses.
The park service says revenue from the price hike it is considering at Acadia and 16 other popular parks during peak tourism season would be used to reduce a backlog in maintenance and infrastructure projects.
At Acadia, which consistently ranks among the top 10 most-visited national parks, the “peak visitor season” would stretch from June 1 to Oct. 31. In addition to per-vehicle costs, entrance fees for individuals would rise from $12 to $30, while the fee for motorcyclists would jump from $20 to $50 during the peak season.
Those fees cover park access for seven days.

This isn't a huge park like Yellowstone where people actually come to camp for a week. A LOT of day visitors. $70 to drive in? I don't think so.

What family visiting Maine wants to shell out $70 to drive through the park?
Somebody on a motorcycle has to pay $50??
For what? A view? A selfie?

It's really a tax. You should be giddy.

 

[DrLove]

Why? No *care* is needed. The national parks land existed intact for millennia before the inept and illegal seizure by the US Govt.

The land may have existed but not the National Park designation. Sorry, but the entire purpose is preservation for the enjoyment of generation after generation. Without that, they cease to exist.

And considering that a majority of the really popular ones are in red states, they most certainly would be raped by commercial interests.

Maintenance & care is needed. So are the naturalists who assist with education, protection and understanding of the resource.

 

[whitehall]

Lefties want us to pay more taxes (a hell of a lot more than $70) but they get hysterical when they have to pay more for Park Passes. Freaking hypocrites.

 

[BlackSand]

They used to sell a lifetime pass to any National Park to anyone over 62 for $20

Trump just raised it to $80

Disabled veterans have a lifetime free pass to national parks ... Just in case anyone wanted to know ...

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[Mr.Blonde]

Why? No *care* is needed. The national parks land existed intact for millennia before the inept and illegal seizure by the US Govt.

The land may have existed but not the National Park designation. Sorry, but the entire purpose is preservation for the enjoyment of generation after generation. Without that, they cease to exist.

And considering that a majority of the really popular ones are in red states, they most certainly would be raped by commercial interests.

Maintenance & care is needed. So are the naturalists who assist with education, protection and understanding of the resource.

KOA and or Disney can pay for all that and make a profit.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

100 years of the National Park Service is enough. Get government out of land monopolization.

Yeah - who the hell needs the word "National" on a F-ing National Park anyway?

Just turn them over to the Koch Brothers and Exxon - they'll take care of 'em!

The states should be managing their own parks. It's not within the Constitutional powers given to the federal government.

 

[rightwinger]

Why? No *care* is needed. The national parks land existed intact for millennia before the inept and illegal seizure by the US Govt.

The land may have existed but not the National Park designation. Sorry, but the entire purpose is preservation for the enjoyment of generation after generation. Without that, they cease to exist.

And considering that a majority of the really popular ones are in red states, they most certainly would be raped by commercial interests.

Maintenance & care is needed. So are the naturalists who assist with education, protection and understanding of the resource.

Trump wants to sell it off for logging and mineral rights
Drill baby, drill

 

[OldLady]

Your link says prices have been rising.. Some are doing it on their OWN.

The vehicle entrance fee to Acadia National Park would jump 180 percent – from $25 to $70 – next year under a National Park Service proposal already eliciting concerns from some Bar Harbor-area groups and businesses.
The park service says revenue from the price hike it is considering at Acadia and 16 other popular parks during peak tourism season would be used to reduce a backlog in maintenance and infrastructure projects.
At Acadia, which consistently ranks among the top 10 most-visited national parks, the “peak visitor season” would stretch from June 1 to Oct. 31. In addition to per-vehicle costs, entrance fees for individuals would rise from $12 to $30, while the fee for motorcyclists would jump from $20 to $50 during the peak season.
Those fees cover park access for seven days.

This isn't a huge park like Yellowstone where people actually come to camp for a week. A LOT of day visitors. $70 to drive in? I don't think so.

Its a big rise. Thats for sure.
Maybe they really need the funds.
I fail to see why this is worse than raising taxes on everyone.

I always thought our national parks were supposed to be there for the public's enjoyment. No one can afford or would pay $70 to drive into Acadia for an afternoon, or even a day. And why should they have to pay that much for even a week?
It breaks my heart. I hope it won't go through.

They are. But what if they need money to fix stuff? What if attendance is low? IDK
Im sure they arent doing it to sit back and laugh at the poor people

No, it's not to sit back and laugh at poor people, I'm sure. Acadia might be different from some parks on the list. It was started by extremely wealthy families like the Rockefellers who enjoyed its wild state and beautiful coast, bought huge tracts of land there and built their "rustic" 100 room "cottages." It was quite the Martha's Vineyard in the 1800's. A lot of wealthy people still own places around and in the park, and Friends of Acadia and volunteers do a great deal of work on the park without federal funds. There's a lot of money behind it. I was there this summer and didn't see anything wanting. There is always work to be done and I know from reading the paper that there is a long list of projects to do every year; I'm not opposed to a fee increase, but that is way too much. Maybe rich tourists from Tipsy's neck of the woods think nothing of $70 but around here that's a hefty chunk of change and it will eliminate local use almost entirely, unless they go with the annual pass, which is still the best deal but a lot of us don't go there enough to get $50 worth of use out of it in a year.
Oh well, I have a life time senior's pass, so I can go when I wish. I am thinking of those that aren't seniors, yet.

 

[DrLove]

The states should be managing their own parks. It's not within the Constitutional powers given to the federal government.

Two things that the Feds are really good at? Managing Federal Lands and National Parks.

Clearly you are one of those Constitutional Literalists who believes that Feds are only responsible for our military and very little else.

I respect that - but things have changed over the past 250 years. I've little hope that many if not most states would be responsible stewards of the environment or our natural wonders.

 

[OldLady]

Trump is returning land obama stole back to the states, as he should.

The Rockefellers gave the first land to the Park. Obama didn't steal anything.

obama, the slime, wasn't around when the Rockefellers gave the FIRST land to the Park. He WAS around to thieve these "parks".

Obama names 2 new national monuments in Utah, Nevada

Obama names Maine's Katahdin Woods as newest national park site

Trump should give the land back to the states.

Zinke came and took a look at Katahdin Woods and said it should stay as is, as Obama left it. That's in the opposite end of Maine and has nothing to do with the fee increase we're talking about.

 

[Natural Citizen]

logging and mineral rights

That's actually a pretty big deal.

 

[TNHarley]

The states should be managing their own parks. It's not within the Constitutional powers given to the federal government.

Two things that the Feds are really good at? Managing Federal Lands and National Parks.

Clearly you are one of those Constitutional Literalists who believes that Feds are only responsible for our military and very little else.

I respect that - but things have changed over the past 250 years. I've little hope that many if not most states would be responsible stewards of the environment or our natural wonders.

Things have changed. And the Constitution can keep up with that and be LEGAL. Its called an amendment.

 

[ColonelAngus]

In season, hotel rooms IN Yellowstone are $300-$700/night.

Old Faithful Inn | Yellowstone National Park Lodges

The government is making plenty to sustain most of these parks without fleecing the taxpayers.

 

[Mr.Blonde]

The states should be managing their own parks. It's not within the Constitutional powers given to the federal government.

Two things that the Feds are really good at? Managing Federal Lands and National Parks.

Clearly you are one of those Constitutional Literalists who believes that Feds are only responsible for our military and very little else.

I respect that - but things have changed over the past 250 years. I've little hope that many if not most states would be responsible stewards of the environment or our natural wonders.

We need an Article 5 Convention then. Unless we have one and it gives the Federal government more power then we have to stick with what we got.

 

[ColonelAngus]

Think of all the abortions and birth control that could be purchased with the tax dollars we waste maintaining National Parks.

National Park Service - Wikipedia

As of 2016, the National Park Service has an annual budget of about $3 billion and an estimated $12 billion maintenance backlog

 

[OKTexas]

Your link says prices have been rising.. Some are doing it on their OWN.

The vehicle entrance fee to Acadia National Park would jump 180 percent – from $25 to $70 – next year under a National Park Service proposal already eliciting concerns from some Bar Harbor-area groups and businesses.
The park service says revenue from the price hike it is considering at Acadia and 16 other popular parks during peak tourism season would be used to reduce a backlog in maintenance and infrastructure projects.
At Acadia, which consistently ranks among the top 10 most-visited national parks, the “peak visitor season” would stretch from June 1 to Oct. 31. In addition to per-vehicle costs, entrance fees for individuals would rise from $12 to $30, while the fee for motorcyclists would jump from $20 to $50 during the peak season.
Those fees cover park access for seven days.

This isn't a huge park like Yellowstone where people actually come to camp for a week. A LOT of day visitors. $70 to drive in? I don't think so.

Sounds like a deal, one day for one adult could be $124 at Disney.

Disney World Ticket Pricing Guide


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[ColonelAngus]

Anyone crying about Yellowstone being expensive has obviously never been there. It's VERY tough to get to....one can fly into JACKSON HOLE AIRPORT and stay in Jackson for about $300/night, or stay on the Yellowstone property for $300-$700/night.

Flight, rental car, lodging, gas, food.

Who the fuck do you shitheads think are patronizing these parks? Poor inner city children?

Stop the disingenous bullshit.

 

[OldLady]

It's beautiful, peaceful, wild. Disney it ain't, though. If you want to breathe, hike or take pictures, great. There's a little Native American museum. For the money, I'd rather go on Expedition Everest.

 

[Kosh]

In season, hotel rooms IN Yellowstone are $300-$700/night.

Old Faithful Inn | Yellowstone National Park Lodges

The government is making plenty to sustain most of these parks without fleecing the taxpayers.

The hotel is run by a private company, not the government!
Xanterra

Xanterra Parks & Resorts (formerly Amfac Resorts and Amfac Parks & Resorts) is a privately owned United States park and resort management company based in Greenwood Village, Colorado, controlled by entertainment magnate Phillip Anschutz. Denver-based billionaire Anschutz, who has an extensive history of developing and operating mineral, railroad, newsmedia and entertainment enterprises, is one of the largest private promoters of live events in the world, most notably soccer

Xanterra Parks and Resorts - Wikipedia

 

[ColonelAngus]

Grand Teton is the SHIT.....holy crap. My favorite range in the west. You drive through GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK to get to YELLOWSTONE on the entrance near Jackson, WY.

People actually climb Grand Teton.

Grand Teton National Park (U.S. National Park Service)