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Parking in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Jan 25, 2023 20:14:54   #
clint f. Loc: Priest Lake Idaho, Spokane Wa
 
goldstar46 wrote:
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Absolutely classical for a Government Agency...

We need/want more money ~~ Let's invent or create a new "Fee" ??

The GSMNP was chartered by the United States Congress in 1934, and officially dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940,,,,

Parking has always been without a "FEE" for the entire time.......
...... NOW, they want more money..........

Classical - Government
....... Question: What Changed? to justify more money ??? NOTHING


Cheers
George Veazey - Goldstar46
================================================= ... (show quote)


What changed? Perhaps the 23 TRILLION dollar debt figures in there somewhere.

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Jan 25, 2023 22:27:47   #
kvanhook Loc: Oriental, NC
 
My thanks to "Klickitatdave " for expanding something I tried to start. I said the "per visitor" monies haven't changed in relation to the increase in the number of visitors. His explanations are much better than mine. Congress doesn't have the NPS on their priority list. They will not recognize the increase in visitor needs and the impact on the financial state of the NPS. Yes, they appear to have been underfunded and consequently understaffed. They need some money! It's not just the National Parks. Our state park systems need funding. I love to camp, many times in state parks and when you make a reservation for a camp site they offer the opportunity to make a donation to the park authority. I don't think the NPS is deliberately trying to make you empty your pockets. All they are asking for is essentially "pocket change" from each visitor. I said before, I don't like the fees any more than anyone else. But, I do believe they are one of the very few governmental organizations that really cares about the visitors to our national reasures. I would pay the $5 and also pay it for the next family behind me who might be less fortunate. And, when you do that, be sure to thank the Park Ranger for showing up to work. That's my story and I'm-------

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Jan 26, 2023 08:58:08   #
Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee
 
dwermske wrote:
The GSMNP is the only National Park that doesn't charge an entrance fee. Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier all charge 35$/car or 20$ person, White Sands National Park charges 25$/car or 15$ person. Yosemite charges 35$/car and up. With that in mind I don't consider a 5$ a day parking fee to be so outrageous. These parks are not free they have to be maintained so why shouldn't we have to pay for the right to visit them?


In 1951, the state of Tennessee transferred Newfound Gap Road (Hwy 441) and Little River Road (Hwy 71/73) to the park. That deed transfer contained a restriction preventing tolls on either road. (Before the creation of the Interstate Highway System, these were the main roads between Tennessee and North Carolina, and the state likely included this restriction to ensure access to free interstate travel.)

A federal law in 1964 U.S. Code Title 16) prevented the NPS from charging entrance fees where tolls are prohibited on primary park roads. Because Newfound Gap Road and Little River Road are the primary roads in GSMNP, we are, to this day, unable to charge an entrance fee.

The park does, however, have an active fee program. The Smokies has long charged fees for front and backcountry camping and beginning March 1, 2023, will charge for parking. These fees are an important source of revenue for the park, allowing us to maintain services as visitation increases. ---- https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/whynoentrancefee.htm

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Jan 26, 2023 09:10:12   #
Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee
 
Terry wrote:
Have you ever driven through the park? I have quite a few times and I!m always seeing trash on the sides of the roads, maybe a very small fee will pay for some one to pick up after people who keep throwing out their trash. If you don!t want to pay then don!t throw out trash out of the window.


I live right at the foot of the GSMNP. I have been in the park hundreds of time and have rarely seen any litter on the roadsides.

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Jan 26, 2023 10:00:30   #
Terry
 
I go a couple times a year and I always see trash on the side of the road. Sorry to disagree.

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Jan 26, 2023 12:17:48   #
Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee
 
Ok to disagree. My purpose for the original post was to inform UHH'ers who plan to visit that there will be parking fees.

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