Grand Teton National Park is joining up with a National Parks initiative that would raise the cost of entrance fees.
The proposal would double the price of a 7-day entrance fee to access both Grand Teton and Yellowstone. The parks would also have separate 7-day entrance fees. The fifty-dollar annual pass to Grand Teton and Yellowstone would also be eliminated, instead offering a sixty-dollar annual pass to Grand Teton alone.
Grand Teton National Park Representative Jackie Skaggs says most national parks have not raised their fees since 2006. She says the fees will go toward trail maintenance, historical building restoration, youth education, and other projects.
“The revenues that we take in from entrance fees must go toward visitor services, visitor facilities, or enhanced visitor experience through education and interpretation,” Skaggs says.
Skaggs says she considers the changes modest.
“National parks have been an affordable vacation experience for people throughout their history, and we’re offering just a modest increase. The national parks would still be a bargain for many travelers.”
The public can weigh in on the changes at a meeting at Lexington Inn in Jackson at 6:30 on Wednesday night. Comments can also be submitted online or by mail.
