The National Park Service has lost 1/4 of employees since January and the Dept. of Interior is proposing to slash funding for the agency by 35%. This means it will not be able to fulfill its mission. Expect park facilities to close and campgrounds and trails not to be maintained to the highest standards. Remember the title of Ken Burns film, The National Parks: America's Best Idea.

Our National Park system needs a real and serious overhaul. They are chronically underfunded ("Hello, Congress?"); overused; and increasingly strained. They are not theme parks; they are America's sacred lands.

The current entry fees are astonishingly low compared to the value they provide. A weeklong pass to Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon costs less than a movie ticket per day. Many parks, like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (which receive ~12M people annually) charge no entrance fee at all! Meanwhile, the National Park Service faces billions of dollars in deferred maintenance, including deteriorating roads, outdated facilities, and overwhelmed visitor infrastructure.

We (and our two adult children) all recoup our annual National Park Pass fees well before June of each year; the remainder of our visits are "bonus." Higher fees could help manage unsustainable crowds. We live near Great Falls National Park in the D.C. area and, if we can't be there by 7:00 a.m. on a beautiful weekend day, we don't bother going because the queue to enter the park is insufferable. I think raising the fees a bit will encourage visitors to better appreciate the privilege of access.

I'm all in favor of structured fees (that is, reduced rates for low-income families, free passes for children and veterans), but our park system needs reform to make that possible. It's time that Americans treat the parks with respect; and by that I mean those of us who use the parks should pay, to quote some. "our fair share." If the annual park pass cost was raised to $150 annually (with different rates for seniors, etc., ) "Santa" would still drop an annual pass into our family's stockings on Christmas Eve.

I'm all for charging a nominal and scaled admission to the Smithsonian Museums, as well. Having lived in the D.C. area for 30+ years, it has always been disheartening to watch children running amok in the "Big 3" (American, Natural History, Air & Space) because it's "free."

We just need a Congress willing to do its job.

I agree but the trend now is going the opposite direction. They can't properly manage the parks without full staffing and funding. and these are being decimated. Congress won't do it on its own--they have to be made to do it.

We get the Congress we elect. 🤷‍♀️

I agree the parks should charge more (so it can pay for employees and provide more services). Seniors basically have no or little charge. As others note, the annual pass fee is low. Smoky Mtn NP does not charge because major highways travel through it -- but a pass could be required for anyone on a trail or using the visitor's center, etc. How to provide more services funded by the visitors seems the best option (esp with a 30+ trillion debt). Keep the 4th grade in parks free program -- that allows families to have a year (or a few depending on the # of kids) to visit parks at no cost. What is required is someone with a vision on how to make this work. And some ideas could be tried out at a few parks to see what works best.

I have some how blundered on to this discussion, and it seems like we want to blame the users of the parks for the problem! Maybe our parks are overused because that's all people can afford these days.

I live near the Cape Cod National Seashore. The latest estimate is that visitors bring in 730 million annually to the local economy. I was surprised to see that it is that much. For many years no maintenance was done on the cottages in the Seashore that were bought out when it was created. They provided sorely needed housing for the summer employees. Most have been demolished now. The lack of proper management and accountability for our National Park system is stunning.

I did not intend to blame the users . . . but do think they can be part of the solution. The reality is (as someone who has been going to parks for nearly 50 years) that more people go to parks now. The rise of the internet and especially social media brought park existence to many who were unaware. COVID amplified this trend. I do think parks can be loved to death. I do think many small pieces need to be put into place to make sure the parks remain national treasures for generations to come. Maybe it's fees (maybe users should pay a little more for parks than non-users), some visitor limitations, encouraging more off or shoulder-season visitors. I am not sure all the possibilities. I would hate to see certain tours of Carlsbad Caverns get closed permanently, facilities not maintained, or campgrounds not opened due to funding issues. It does take someone with a vision to solve these problems and keep the parks protected and maintained now and for future generations. Heading to Glacier NP!

I agree the users can be part of the solution. I bought a Senior Lifetime Pass at least 15 years ago for $10, an amazing deal. But the users have no control over the money they spend, how it's spent and if there is even a will to spend it on the Parks. We need another Teddy Roosevelt to really fix some of the problems.

We noticed a subtle change in using our annual park pass a couple of weeks ago. I was driving; and when I handed the ranger the pass she asked me to sign it, which I did.

I asked, "Can my husband use the pass if I am not with him now that it's signed?" She replied, "The signator has to be with the group to enter."

We'll ask Santa for two passes this Christmas. Baby steps, but heading in the right direction.