Do you mind paying fees in the National Forest?

[BirdShooter]

The National Forest Service charges access fees at some parking areas and trailheads in the wilderness. The fee is usually nominal ($2-5) paid in advance via a self-service envelope deposited to a metal canister. I suppose I’m alright with it as long as the fee stays small and the funds are used locally – although I’m always rooting through my change drawer to come up with the cash (which I rarely carry to a trailhead.)

[Tree Top Flyer]

Isn’t that the truth? There i was driving 2 hrs to get to the trailhead and suddenly I realize the “trail boss” has used my wallet as the ATM once again. Grrrr, now all I have is a 20. Looks like the NPS gets a fat tip today. Seems like I could get credited for more visits, but alas, I really don’t mind, it’s for a great cause.

[Guests]

Hell yes, I mind. I mean REALLY! What’s next? Are you going to tax me again when I get to my campsite, then again when I get out my fishing rod, then again when I start my campfire? The government is begining to act a lot like my bank – charging me for everything I do. Common, enough man.

[Guests]

I don’t trust the government with the money, period.

[Stagefright]

How about that gas tax, there’s another one for ya.

[Guests]

I pay city, state, federal, inheritance, short-long term capital gains tax, property tax (on my car, boat and house). Plus I pay hidden taxes when I buy smokes and gasoline. Enough already. Our efforts need to go into diverting some of these funds to the backcountry, not to giving “the man” another way to tax us. When city, state and federal governments start having lay-offs like corporate America to become more efficient, then I’ll THINK about ponying up for some more tax money. Until then, I have no interest in feeding the government tax machine.

[Richard Ivy]

I doubt that I like “taxes” any more than the next person but a fee for using a facility or service is not a tax. I do think that everyone should pay a bit of tax to support things such as our state and national parks but I also have no problem with paying a “usage” fee when I use one of these valuable resouces. I would have to pay quite a bit more if the parks were owned and run by private firms – a fact I know well because I visit national, state, and private park facilities – and the private ones are much smaller and not as nice as the state/federal ones.

[TreeFrog]

Although I am skeptical of where and what this money is actually going to, if the profit from these raised fees does, in deed, go to the park, then I can’t think of a better place for my money to go. However, if they see the need for raising the entry fees for these parks, then I would like to see the preservation of such places also increasing. Let’s use that money to spread the word out about such things like preservation and conservation that would ultimately help ALL parks!

[rwallace]

No problems at all. The park service is staff underpaid and the park systems, both federal and state, are underfunded.

[Guests]

I do NOT mind paying any fee to gain access to NP’s or NF’s. We who use the areas should bear some of the cost of maintaining them. The current administration certainly won’t add to their funding, and the money has to come from somewhere.

[karen.harwood]

I don’t mind as long as the money goes directly to supporting the national forests.

[Guests]

They way things are going – I think are parks are about to do with even less. If a 3rd party can keep a watchful eye on the spending (like the Public Utilities Commission works for energy), I’m ok with paying.

[CaffeinatedSquirrel]

I’m ok with paying if it goes toward the NF. However, I recently purchased an Interagency pass, which, I believe, covers these fees. I could be wrong, however. $2 is really nothing, though. For those who don’t buy yearly passes, Acadia NP, which is local to me, is $25 a week. Which means if you hike every single day, it’s still almost $4 a day. Plus campgrounds are inexpensive but not free, etc. I don’t mind paying; as other commenters have said the NPS, etc. are underfunded and need the money.

But as I mentioned, one can also buy a yearly interagency pass, which should cover *all* fees into both national parks and national forest. And if you ask at your local national park, they may have a half-off day at the end of the year. Acadia does.

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