Entrance fees at Assateague National Seashore to increase

The National Park Service is instituting an increase for all parks that charge entrance fees, including Assateague Island National Seashore. The additional funds will be used for infrastructure and maintenance needs to enhance the visitor experience, according to NPS officials.

Effective Jan. 1, 2020, entrance fees at Assateague Island National Seashore will change according to the following:

A 7-day pass to the park will be $25 per vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, an annual park pass will cost $45, individuals will be charged $15 per person when entering by commercial vehicle. An entrance pass

provides seven consecutive days of access to the National Seashore and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. The park annual pass provides twelve months of access from the month of purchase. There will be no increase to camping fees or Over-sand Vehicle Permit fees as part of this change.

Additionally, free annual passes are available for active duty uniformed military and for 4th grade students under the “Every Kid Outdoors” program. Access Passes are free lifetime passes for individuals with a permanent disability. The annual Senior Pass remains $20. The price of the annual America the Beautiful

National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass and Lifetime Senior Pass remain at $80.

Assateague Island National Seashore has had an entrance fee since 1971. The current rate of $20 per vehicle or $15 per motorcycle has been in effect since 2015. The park is one of 112 National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee; the other 307 national parks will remain free to enter.