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Acadia National Park receives more than 4 million visitors each year, making it one of the most visited national parks in the United States. As I was buying my annual park pass with my mom, it came to my attention that the federal government has put new restrictions on the park passes. This allows only one signature per pass, meaning that the person who signs the pass must be the one present in the car when visiting Acadia National Park. This was not the case in past years, when two signatures were allowed per pass.
As someone in a family of five with two working parents and three drivers, it is rarely ever the same one person driving to visit the park. Visiting Acadia National Park has been a part of my family’s culture and tradition since I was born and I continue it with friends today. The problem is that I have to buy a $70 annual pass to access Acadia National Park, which is a big expense for a high school student with a part-time job. This new restriction is largely affecting the locals who visit the park often, both in and off season and largely does not affect tourists who are most likely to travel together as a family for a shorter amount of time. The National Park Service is raising prices and adding restrictions at the cost of its locals.
AnaSofia Hansen
Franklin
