[sfharper]

Washington started fees for using parks last year. We hated them. As birders we stop in several parks during the day as a regular practice, especially on road trips. I guess they repealed the law, so our year pass for $50 isn't worth anything more than a good citizen attaboy. The worst part was different organizations administered different parks and you never knew when you'd have to shell out more.

[seeemilywrite]

We have parking fees. i like them. It helps maintain the parks and areas, and is a cost that only goes to those who use the areas rather than the city or state as a whole. I would rather be "taxed" for things I use rather than overall for everything.

[nicki]

We have state park fees and metro park fees. You can get a yearly pass for either or a (slightly discounted) yearly combination pass for both. I have never minded the fees. I think it is an excellent way of "taxing" only those who use the services and not burdening those who don't.

[babydawn]

Here in Idaho, the state parks have fees. They are pretty small though, $3.00 for a day pass or a year pass for $20.00 and that gets you into every state park in the state.

[writehandgirl]

They just instituted a fee on our local Native American burial ground. Which makes little sense. Very few people visit there to make the fee worth while.

[sfharper]

I think fees for parks are worth it if it's supporting the use, i.e. camping fees for campgrounds. But birders just come to an area, look to see what birds are home, maybe use a toilet, then go to the next. Some states allow you to purchase a ticket that lasts a week wherever you go in the state -- that makes sense to me.

[altland]

I live 5 minutes from the Smoky Mountain National Park. They do not charge a fee to get in. They charge for camping, special tours, and special things like horseback riding. They have donation boxes everywhere and they solicite to get people to become members. They have many gift shops. There is a group of people in this area, I think its called "Friends of the Smokys" that donate large amounts of money because they believe in keeping it free and beautiful. They also get government funds too, but I don't think it's as much as it used to be.

[verbena]

I understand the fees being necessary to maintain the parks and it makes sense for one to have to pay a fee if they are going to visit and utilize the park. The one I have a pet-peeve about is Zions National Park. They have a main state road that goes through a tiny corner of the park so that you can get to the main highway and you have to pay the entrance fee to drive through the park at night for 10 minutes! Not cool.