The National Park Service (NPS) has announced that in response to public comments on a fee proposal released in October 2017 proposing summer-season entrance fees of $80 for 17 highly-visited national parks, there will instead be a modest increase for all parks that charge entrance fees.

The additional funds will be used for infrastructure and maintenance needs to enhance the visitor experience.

Effective January 1, 2020, the entrance fees to Gulf Islands National Seashore will be modified to align with standardized rates being implemented nationwide for similar national park areas.

A 7-day pass to the park will be $25 per vehicle, $15 per person (pedestrian or cyclist), and $20 per motorcycle.

An annual park pass will cost $45. An entrance pass provides seven consecutive days of access to all fee areas in the national seashore including Fort Pickens, Johnson Beach, Opal Beach, Fort Barrancas, and Okaloosa Area. The park annual pass provides 12-months of access to all areas from the date of purchase.

Free annual passes are available for active duty military and for 4th grade students under the “Every Kid Outdoors” program. Access Passes are free lifetime passes for individuals with a permanent disability. The annual Senior Pass remains $20. The price of the annual America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass and Lifetime Senior Pass remain $80. 

Revenue from entrance fees remain with the NPS

Revenue from entrance fees remain with the NPS and helps ensure a quality experience for all who visit, according to a press release. At Gulf Islands, 76.5 percent of entrance fees are retained by the park and are devoted to maintaining facilities that directly serve visitors. The remaining entrance fee revenues assists other national parks with their projects.

Several upcoming projects at the national seashore are funded through fee collections.

Gulf Islands National Seashore has had an entrance fee since 1971. The park is one of 112 National Park Service sites that charges an entrance fee; the other 300 national parks will remain free to enter.

Learn more about how fee dollars are at work at the park by visiting: https://www.nps.gov/guis/planyourvisit/yourfeesatwork.htm