Vicksburg NMP Changes Entrance Fee to Address Infrastructure Needs

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Date: April 13, 2018
Contact: Scott Babinowich, 601-619-2905

Vicksburg, MS:  The National Park Service (NPS) announced today Vicksburg National Military Park will modify its entrance fees to provide additional funding for infrastructure and maintenance needs to enhance the visitor experience. Effective June 1, 2018 the entrance fees to the park will be $20 per vehicle or $15 per motorcycle. An annual park pass will cost $35. All of the money received from entrance fees remains with the National Park Service.

Revenue from entrance fees remains in the National Park Service and helps ensure a quality experience for all who visit. Here in Vicksburg National Military Park, 100 percent of entrance fees stay in the park and are devoted to spending that supports the visitor.

In response to public comments on a fee proposal released in October 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.

“Collecting Entrance fees is critical to providing a positive visitor experience,” said Superintendent Bill Justice. “Entrance fees allow us to tackle crucial projects to help provide a safe, memorable, and informative visit.” Just recently, we have used money collected from entrance fees to clear vegetation and preserve the historic view-sheds in the South Loop and in front of the iconic Illinois Memorial.”

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.

The additional revenue from entrance fees at Vicksburg National Military Park will be used to address critical maintenance issues affecting the visitor experience. Planned projects include upgrading exhibits in the visitor center, addressing erosion issues on the tour road, and aiding in maintaining the landscape and historic view-sheds. Pervious projects funded through entrance fees include the rehabilitation of the visitor center restrooms, restoration of the historic Shirley House, new interpretive panels along the tour road, and improvements to the USS Cairo Museum.

Entrance fees collected by the National Park Service totaled $199.9 million in Fiscal Year 2016. The NPS estimates that once fully implemented, the new fee structure will increase annual entrance fee revenue by about $60 million.

Vicksburg National Military Park has had an entrance fee since the 1990s. The current rate of $15 per vehicle or $10 per motorcycle has been in effect since 2017. The park is one of 117 National Park Service site 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. Vicksburg National Military Park is in group 1. 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.

The complete fee schedule will change according to the following:
 

Vicksburg National Military Park Fee Structure
  Per
Vehicle
 Per
Person
 Per
Motorcycle
Park Specific Annual Pass
Current 15 7 10 30
June 1, 2018 20 10 15 35



Last updated: April 13, 2018

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Mailing Address:

3201 Clay Street
Vicksburg, MS 39183

Phone:

601 636-0583

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