Pinnacles Entrance fee changes

PAICINES – Previously announced entrance fee changes at Pinnacles National Park are scheduled to take effect on January 1 of 2019. These new fees will be $30.00 per vehicle or $25.00 per motorcycle, while an annual park pass will cost $55. All of the money received from entrance fees remains with the National Park Service with at least 80% of the revenue going to Pinnacles National Park. Increased entrance fees will provide additional funding for infrastructure and maintenance needs to enhance the visitor experience.

 In response to public comments on a fee proposal released in October of 2017, there will be a modest increase for all entrance fee-charging parks, rather than the higher peak-season fees initially proposed only for 17 highly-visited national parks.

 The complete fee schedule will change according to the following:

Pinnacles National Park

Per Vehicle

Per Person

Per Motorcycle

Park Specific Annual Pass

Current

$25

$12

$20

$50

January 1, 2019

$30

$15

$25

$55

“Like many other national parks, Pinnacles is facing a substantial amount of deferred maintenance,” said Acting Superintendent Gus Martinez. “The additional funds generated by this fee increase will go right back into the park, helping us to address critical infrastructure needs and enhance the visitor experience.”

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.

Pinnacles entrance fees have been used to fund such projects as the construction of the west side Prewett Point and Jawbone Trails and a new east side entrance station. Future projects include replacing the campground septic system and dump station and restoring the historic Bear Valley School. Entrance fees collected by the National Park Service totaled $199.9 million in the Fiscal Year of 2016. The NPS estimates that once fully implemented, the new fee structure will increase annual entrance fee revenue by about $60 million.

The current rate of $25 per vehicle or $20 per motorcycle has been in effect since January 1, 2018. The park is one of 117 National Park Service sites that charges an entrance fee, the other 300 national parks will remain free to enter.

The price of the annual America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass and Lifetime Senior Pass will remain $80.

 The National Park Service has a standardized entrance fee structure, composed of four groups based on park size and type. Pinnacles National Park is one of the sites in group 3. Some parks not yet aligned with the other parks in their category will raise their fees incrementally and fully incorporate the new entrance fee schedule by January 1, 2020.
We're expecting much needed moisture in the Salinas Valley as people are out and about for Thanksgiving this week, while Pinnacles National Park will be increasing entrance fees once 2019 gets underway.