r/NationalParkService

Hi everyone!

I am a Canadian who planned a trip to visit Acadia National park. I have been to that park quite a few times over the years. Wtf is the 100 non-resident upcharge? How is entry 2.5x my camping spot? As of right now, for a 3 day 2 nights trip, just entry would be close to 400$.

I honestly am thinking of just cancelling my travel to Maine, because this is ridiculous. Before I do so, I was wondering if they actually enforce it? Could I just pay it on-site and say I don't have my american passport or smth? How do they verify US residency?

Btw, my goal is not to scam the NPS, I would be happy to pay an upcharge, but this is exagerated and really expensive and out of my budget as a university student. Its sad, because i'm sure tourists contribute a lot to the economy around Acadia.

Anyway, would love to hear your thoughts on this.

I know some NPS sites allow pets in their park housing, while other sites are strictly pet free. I am looking for personal experiences with staff who have lived in those pet approved units--were your housing contracts different from other units? Was there a pet fee, or did you need proof of a service animal? I am hoping to petition for a change of housing policy at my current Park from pet-free to pet-friendly. We have four ranch style homes (2-3 bedrooms) with enclosed backyards available, and there aren't many options for rentals within 30-40 miles. I figure that housing with pets would require a signed waiver from roommates and maybe a small pet fee? I know there's no guarantee of success, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

I’ve got an interview for a SIP 52 weeks americorps position next week, and I’m currently a career tenure permanent federal employee, GS-7. I’ve been applying for other jobs because there’s no more upward movement in my office (FWS) and my coworkers are really hard to work with. I’m pretty nervous about the prospect of leaving a permanent job for an internship though, especially at my age (32). However, I’m stuck between early career and mid career because I lack certain skills that mid career positions require (report writing, publications, grant writing, etc), so that’s why I’m considering this internship. I could gain some valuable skills and the education award would be really useful.

What would you do (if offered the position)? Since I’m career tenured competitive service I’ll have a relatively easy time coming back as a perm fed if that’s what I decide to do.

Hey all, can anyone point me to any of the planning documents sent by Interior/NPS to the states about the Great American State Fair? For some research, I'd like to see the prospectus material that presumably accompanied the invitation, with the agreements about what expenses states would be responsible for, design parameters/dimesions for exhibits, any other specs, staffing needs, etc. I can't surface this online easily, but it must exist. Thanks for any help!

I'm currently in job corps planning to go through forestry to get with the NPS, but I feel like there's better ways. Good thing being im federal and I can get into certain federal positions easier. I have been here about a month and currently feel like I have to do a lot of unnecessary things to get to the NPS. I am currently 17 so that restricts things quite a bit. I'll turn 18 February next year if that helps any. I have thought about waiting and just going the seasonal work until I'm eligible for full time route but I'm unsure. Has anyone become an interp ranger through JC? How did you become a ranger?

Hi I’m a reporter. 

I'm working on a story analyzing how national parks in the midwest have been impacted by federal funding cuts in the last 18 months. I'm looking to compare budgets, employee numbers and visitor numbers from 2019-2026. Some of this data is difficult to find online and it varies depending on the source. So far I have been looking at local publications, as well as the National Park Services Website. The issue with the NPS website is that it is rarely updated; some haven’t been updated since 2015. 

I want to specifically look at the Indiana Dunes National Park, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Voyageurs National Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. If anyone knows of other parks in the midwest that have been impacted by cuts, feel free to suggest.

Are there online resources where I can find the information I’m looking for? 

If you have any information to point me in the right direction, feel free to PM me. 

If you want to talk, I’m happy to speak off the record/background.