Jan. 1 By MEERAH POWELL Oregon Public Broadcasting 17 hrs ago

https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local_news/crater-lake-entry-fees-to-increase-by-jan/article_8036c5ee-e4bd-5687-9aae-d0567c189436.html

Crater Lake National Park is increasing its entry fees for the new year by $5 to help cover local and national deferred park maintenance and other projects.

Starting Jan. 1, it will cost $30 per vehicle and $25 per motorcycle to visit the park. Annual park passes will cost $55.

The National Park Service announced in 2018 that it would incrementally increase entry fees at park sites across the nation to help cover a more than $11 billion nationwide maintenance backlog.

This is the last scheduled price increase for Crater Lake and other parks around the nation as part of that plan. The Park Service estimates the new fee structure will increase annual revenue by about $60 million nationally.

In a 2018 press release on the price increases, Crater Lake Superintendent Craig Ackerman said extra revenue would go toward deferred maintenance at the South-Central Oregon park as well as projects like improving trails.

“We want to provide visitors with the best possible experience when they come to the park,” Ackerman said.

According to the National Park Service, 80% of Crater Lake’s entrance fees stay in the park while the other 20% is shared with other national parks for their projects.

All national park sites, including Crater Lake, will be free on select holidays — the next being Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Jan. 20.

The other free-admission days are the first day of National Park Week, April 18; National Park Service’s Birthday, Aug. 25; National Public Lands Day, Sept. 26; and Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Seasonal ranger-guided snowshoe walks offered

CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK — Crater Lake National Park’s ranger-guided snowshoe walks take place on Saturdays, Sundays, and most holidays through April 26. They are also being offered daily through Jan. 5, and from March 20 through March 29. Snowshoes are provided free of charge and no previous snowshoeing experience is necessary.

Walks start at 1 p.m., last two hours, and cover 1 to 2 miles of moderate-to-strenuous terrain. Routes vary, but most walks begin at Rim Village and explore the forests and meadows along the rim of the lake. Along the way, participants discover how winter affects Crater Lake and the park’s plants and animals.

Space on each tour is limited and advance reservations are required. For more information and to sign up, call the park’s visitor center at 541-594-3100. There is no cost for the walk, apart from the park entrance fee. Participants must be at least 8 years old and come prepared with warm clothing and water-resistant footwear.

For more information, visit www.nps.gov/crla.

— From a news release

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