More national parks announce rate increases; Last year national parks had record attendance

More national parks are raising prices. In October 2014, the National Park Service for the first time since 2008 gave parks permission to raise rates. Some, such as Yosemite National Park, immediately announced that rates would be increased in 2015. Others are now following suit. (Western Kentucky University Public Radio photo: Entrance to Mammoth Cave National Park)

Only 131 of the 401 properties currently charge fees, Howard Meyerson reports for The Grand Rapids Press. While Yosemite's price increase went into effect this month, Virginia's Shenandoah National Park will increase prices in May then again in 2016. Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park in Utah and Mt. Rainier National Park in Washington and Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming have also proposed price increases.

Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky will raise its fees beginning on Saturday, Kevin Willis reports for WKU Public Radio. An increase in cave tours from $1 to $2 and camping from $3 to $5 as well as the cost of reserving picnic shelters increasing by $25 are expected to bring in an additional $350,000 this year.

Last year a record number of people visited national parks.