Your Fee Dollars at Work

Your fee dollars at work! Treefall is common across the many miles of trails in Olympic National Park. Here, an NPS trail crewmember clears the Shady Lane Trail.

NPS Photo

Why am I Charged Entrance Fees?

Although the National Park Service is allotted a percentage of taxpayer dollars, park locations would not function as they do without your entrance fees. Olympic National Park is permitted to collect entrance fees through the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA). Olympic National Park retains 80% of the money taken in by entrance fees. The other 20% is distributed to other National Park locations that do not collect fees, such as historic sites, monuments, or others. Here is a list of all park locations and whether or not they charge a fee.


Olympic National Park solves many of the challenges it faces by utilizing your fee dollars. The dynamic environment demands regular upkeep of existing structures, campgrounds, and trails. Olympic National Park contains:

• 14 frontcountry campgrounds containing a combined total of over 780 sites

• Over 600 miles of trail

• Over 70 toilets in backcountry areas throughout the park

 

New puncheon stairs at the start of the Sol Duc Falls Trail, one of the most popular trails in the park.

NPS Photo

Recent Projects Funded with Visitor Use Fees:

• Rehabilitation of the South Coast trails, including replacement of dilapidated headland ladders

• Replacement of log footbridge on Shady Lane Nature Trail

• Removal of hazard trees in 11 frontcountry campgrounds

• Maintenance of toilets and privies in backcountry and wilderness areas

• Rehabilitation of comfort stations in the Hoh, Fairholme, and Heart o' the Hills campgrounds

• Replacement of footlog on Boulder Creek Trail

• Rehabilitation of tread on Sol Duc Falls Trail

 

The Northwest Youth Corps is one of many volunteer groups that operate in Olympic National Park. Here, the Inclusion Crew replaces a damaged section of boardwalk along the Sand Point trail.

NPS Photo

Volunteer Groups:

Although many might not realize it, many volunteer groups cost money to operate. Various volunteer groups operate in our park. You can visit our volunteer page to learn more or to get connected!

 

The coastal routes are rugged and provide a unique challenge to trail maintenance. Your fee dollars funded a major overhaul of many of the ladders and headland trails along the South Coast Route in 2022.

NPS Photo