Mono County supes comment on Yosemite fee hike
On October 20, Yosemite National Park announced a proposal to increase entrance and campground fees for 2015.
As part of a nation-wide National Park Service (NPS) initiative to standardize fees around the country, Yosemite plans to raise its gate fees from $20 to $30 per vehicle, and its annual passes from $40 to $60. The rates for pedestrians and motorcycles will also increase from $10 to $15 and $25 respectively. The fee structure is calculated based on Yosemite’s size and location, comparable to larger parks such as Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.
The Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau located on the Westside of the National Park in Oakhurst, California, published a letter to Yosemite Park Superintendent Don Neubacher opposing the fee increases on the basis of economic recovery in surrounding communities due in part to natural disasters the last several years, most notably the Rim Fire in 2013.
The Bureau pointed out the Yosemite visitation peaked at four million annual visitors before the previous rate increase in 1996, but since 2005 average visitation has only been 3.7 million. The letter also argues that the 50 percent entrance fee increase clashes with the Park’s own initiatives to increase off-season and Hispanic visitation. The letter concluded by advising “working smartly and proper budget control” as alternatives to the proposed increase.
As part of a discussion at their November 12 meeting, the Mono County Board of Supervisors is considering sending a similar letter of opposition. The fee increase “rubs me the wrong way,” Supervisor Chair Larry Johnston said. “Yosemite is a national park and it’s becoming less and less accessible to people who don’t have a lot of excess income.”
Supervisor Fred Stump asked if the proposed fee increase would affect the local transit pass for residents in certain zip codes, including most of Mono County. The answer was still unclear at the time of publication, although it seems unlikely that the fee increase would change this policy.
He also questioned if the fee would affect the Yosemite Area Regional Transport System (YARTS). But Dick Whittington, YARTS Transit Manager, said that riders on YARTS don’t pay an entrance fee and won’t have to with the new proposal. “I don’t think the increase will have a negative impact on YARTS ridership; if anything it will improve the ridership,” he said.
Supervisor Tim Alpers wanted more information before officially sending a letter, and the Board directed County staff to research their concerns and draft a letter to send to the NPS before the comment period ends next week.
The current increase may be perceived as a large step, but the fees last changed in 1997 when they jumped from $5 to $20. Other parks in the same category as Yosemite have increased their rates more incrementally, raising the entrance fee from $20 to $25 a few years ago and to $30 for 2015.
Yosemite National Park staff were unavailable for comment, however their website defines their position. The site notes that the fee is consistent with national inflation costs: $20 in 1997 is equivalent to $29.64 in 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
Second, the proposed increased entrance fees are expected to generate an additional $4-$5 million annually to be used to “implement traffic management solutions” or road and parking improvements to reduce traffic congestion in Yosemite Valley. The fund will also contribute to the general repair and maintenance of facilities, capitol projects, visitor programs, and resource protection.
Lastly, other major National Parks, such as Zion, Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone, are also proposing to raise entrance fees from $25 to $30 to accommodate rising management costs. The Yosemite website states, “Parks that have raised their entrance fees in the last 20 years… did not find that their visitation decreased when they raised the fees.”
Jon Crowley from Mammoth Mountaineering doesn’t seem to mind the fee increase. “Nobody likes paying more,” he said. “But the fees haven’t increased in years and I’m sure [the park’s] costs go up all the time.”
Crowley travels to Yosemite about once a week in the summer to rock climb and hike. “The season pass is so inexpensive already. Anybody involved in the management of public lands will understand that it takes money to maintain the infrastructure.”
When asked if he thought the fee increase would affect tourism on the Eastside, Crowley answered, “No way. We see people from every country in the world who say this is the best vacation. $10 more isn’t going to keep away someone coming from Sweden.”
Avid public lands advocate and Mammoth Lakes Town Council member John Wentworth called the fee increase “unfortunate,” but, he said, “I know it’s a complex thing to manage the most beautiful and significant park in the system.” Wentworth acknowledged that the NPS has good reason to raise the fees, but challenged them to provide “tangible outcomes” as well. “We just need to make sure that as the fees go up, the public lands experience goes with it,” he said.
The proposal also includes raising campsite fees between $1 and $8 per night, depending on the site, to cover operating costs of the campgrounds. The public is invited to comment on the proposed fee increase by November 20. Visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/ for more information.
