Joshua tree fees are about to go up ALOT...

Just found this out...
http://z1077fm.com/joshua-tree-national-park-fees-will-increase-dramatically/

 

Just get the annual pass. I think it's supposed to stay at $80.

Our National Parks are a treasure and it infuriates me how poorly funded they are. I do not believe entrance fees are the solution either. Congress should kick down!

 

Lol such bullshit, a damn entrance fee would be as much as the annual pass is now. I live like 5 minutes from the park, and haven't been able to go much lately, it's just a zoo all week long. Don't get me started on the weekends. Maybe higher prices will deter more people luckily I have the annual pass, but sucks not being able to ever find a camp site

 

I look at the NP system as an educational source for city folk who need to learn to conserve. They have become too much of a shitshow for in season camping. Even if you get a spot you'll likely be by a loud family with 80 kids and all new gear ftom REI that will never be used again. I mean, God bless them, but it's annoying.

 

Literally took the words out of my mouth.. I didn't want to say it over the forum but fuck man. I just drove in last Friday night I got off work late cruised over to the park ( I live in JT by the park entrance) and at 10:30 at night the place was still crawling with people mainly civics and Prius' and nobody knows where they're going, all the sites ended up being full, I knew they were gone be full too, my stubborn self just wanted to take the loop and check every damn site just in case. The REI joke made me die btw. Ended up just camping outside of the park in a local spot of mine.

EDIT: this is the best part of the year to go to JT too , rock climbing , etc. just bums me out kinda seeing it taken advantage of. But hey at least people are getting outdoors

 

Death Valley is probably less busy. Different kind of park though.

Rocks at Joshua Tree are unmatched. I feel a strange sense of pride from it getting NP status.

 

If the NPS lost those groups of noobs in new gear then they’d be a lot worse off.

Just bear that in mind.

An annual pass is cheap.

 

True lol. Glad I have one

 

Food for thought.

This threat of increase happens every few years (sometimes it dies actually happen too, say). Mostly it’s a call to legislators for more funding (historically the NPS is the first thing to get cut).

A fee increase will limit visitors. While not a good thing for ‘public lands, I can see this as a beneficial thing for Yose. It’s just too fucking crowded. 5+ million this year. And growing.

This possible fee increase is proposed for the 5 high months of peak (summer) season. While summers in Yose is peak, more and more you can’t tell it and the hoardes keep coming all year round.

As we travel to different parks, we notice different policies/practices. There’s quite a bit of inconsistency between parks.

Ie. Summer gates at Yose are 7a-7p. Tetons staffs the gates until almost 9pm. Two more hours of revenue. While Tetons is popular, Yose has more visitors. That’s lost revenue coming from Yose.

And an oddity... each individual park buys TP from different sources. Yose has the shittiest (haha!) TP I’ve ever used!
San Juan Islands has the fluffiest two ply even in the pit toilets!

One giant TP contract could be worth millions!

 

I’m familiar with the see through TP. Scares me that it’s going to tear through at the critically wrong moment.

 

I don’t really see the problem. If the park has funding problems users of the park should be the ones to help pay for the services they use.

 

@YotaGurlIAm

 

Yeah I saw this, it's a bummer for people who can't afford entrance fees. But I have an annual pass already

 

This may be. Stupid question, but isn't your annual price only good for 1 year? Do we see any reflection on the annual price with this?

 

Lol yes annual meaning year. Haha like Danny said I guess that isn't changing. I'd assume it would but who knows. I love going through the park when ever we're out there. Even though we never camp inside the shitshow

 

Planning to go out to Joshua tree this Thursday; any suggestions on where to camp outside the park?

 

Black rock campground