A new proposal would raise state park entrance fees to $45 for an annual pass (up from $35) and $10 for a daily pass (up from $7). This would be the second large fee increase in six years. What would another price hike mean for Minnesota’s State Parks?
State parks belong to everyone. Entrance fees help support parks but also discourage use, and thus should always be kept as low as possible. Studies have found that fees, even when priced as low as $3, displace low-income people and that people will travel three times as far to reach parks with no or lower fees. When Minnesota State Parks increased fees 40% in 2017, visitation declined for the first time in years, bucking national and local trends. The DNR has a long-established goal to provide accessible and affordable parks and trails to all Minnesotans.
The proposed fee increase would make Minnesota State Parks the most expensive they’ve ever been, even after adjusting for inflation. Higher entrance fees would disincentivize the benefits state parks provide and disproportionately affect people already underrepresented in outdoor recreation. This wouldn’t affect just a few people; 9% of Minnesotans live below the poverty line, and 31% of households make less than $50,000 a year.