ASSATEAGUE — At the start of the new year, there will be a modest increase in entrance fees at Assateague Island National Seashore.
Assateague Island National Seashore (AINS) is one of 17 national parks around the country to see its entrance fees increase starting Jan. 1. The fee increases were announced last week following the closure of a public comment period in October.
During the public comment period, the majority of the responders said they would prefer a modest increase in the park entrance fees year-round rather than the higher peak-season fee increases initially proposed. As a result, the per-vehicle entrance fee to AINS will increase from the current $20 to $25 starting Jan. 1, 2020.
Similarly, the per person entrance fee will increase from the current $10 to $15, the per motorcycle fee will increase from the current $15 to $20 and the park-specific annual pass will increase from the current $40 to $45. The fee increases are being modified to align with standardized rate schedules being implemented nationwide for similar national park areas.
While the fees will increase at AINS, there will be an in-kind return for the visitors. For example, an entrance pass provides seven consecutive days of access to AINS and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. The park annual pass provides 12 months of access from the month of purchase. There will be no increase to camping fees or Over-sand Vehicle Permit fees as part of this change.
Additionally, free annual passes are available for active duty uniformed military and for fourth grade students under the “Every Kid Outdoors” program. Access passes are free lifetime passes for individuals with a permanent disability.
The annual senior pass entrance fee will remain $20. The prices for the annual America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass and Lifetime Senior Pass remain at $80.
The good news is revenue from entrance fees stay in the National Park Service and help ensure a quality experience for all who visit. At AINS for example at least 80% of entrance fee revenue stays in the park and are devoted to spending that supports the visitor. The other 20% of entrance fee income will be shared with other national parks for their projects.
National parks have experienced record breaking visitation, with more than 1.5 billion visitors in the last five years. Throughout the country, the combination of an aging infrastructure and increased visitation has put a strain on park roads, bridges, campgrounds, waterlines, bathrooms, and other visitor services and led to a $11.6 billion deferred maintenance backlog nationwide.
AINS has had an entrance fee since 1971. The current rate of $20 per vehicle or $15 per motorcycle has been in effect since 2015. The park is one of 112 National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee, the other 307 national parks will remain free to enter.
According to an NPS report issued last spring, 2,136,889 visitors came to Assateague Island National Seashore in 2018 and spent a combined $94,476,000 in communities near the barrier island. The spending supported 1,192 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $105,594,000.
The report showed over $20 billion in direct spending by over 318 million visitors in neighboring communities within 60 miles of a national park. That spending supported 329,000 jobs nationally, including 269,000 jobs in those gateway communities near national parks.
