Yosemite National Park raising its fees

Yosemite National Park visitors can expect to pay slightly higher entrance and campground fees starting March 1, officials announced Friday.

A single-vehicle entrance for up to seven days will go up from $20 to $25 in March. During high season – from April through October – the fee will climb again, to $30, before falling to its seasonal price of $25.

The park’s annual pass will climb from $40 to $60. The rate of $10 for individual entrance will also increase to $15. In March, motorcycle entrance fees will rise from the current $10 to $15. In 2016, the rate per motorcycle will adjust to $20.

Current campground rates have been in place since 2006 and range between $5 and $20 per night for family sites and $40 a night for group sites. With the increase, family sites will range from $6 to $26 per night, depending on the campsite. Rates for group sites will rise to $50 per night.

The $10 Senior Pass and free Access and military passes will remain unchanged. According to park officials this is the first time in almost 18 years that entrance fees have increased. The current fees have been in place since 1997, when a seven-day pass increased from $5 to $20 per vehicle.

The new increases will make Yosemite entrance fees comparable to those of other large parks across the country, including Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Zion national parks, according to parks officials.

“With additional entrance fees, we will be able to complete some critical projects in the next few years that benefit park visitors,” Randy Fong, divison chief of project management said in a news release.

According to Fong, 80 percent of the revenue is used for park renovations.

Future work includes: restoration projects in Tuolumne Meadows and along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley, improved parking and traffic flow, and the rehabilitation of popular trails such as the John Muir and Mist trails.

Last fall, officials opened a 30-day public input period to get feedback on the proposed fee increase. During the period, Scott Gediman, a Yosemite spokesman, said park officials didn’t expect the fee increase to affect attendance.

“Studies on national park visits have shown that (fee hikes) do not affect attendance,” he said. “We don’t think the extra $10 will sway people’s judgment.”

This story was originally published January 30, 2015 at 5:39 PM with the headline "Yosemite National Park raising its fees."