SAVANNAH — Fort Pulaski National Monument will implement an entrance fee increase June 15, according to a news release.

The park was authorized by the National Park Service to increase the entrance fee from $5 to $7 and the full Fort Pulaski annual park pass from $10 to $30.  

Fort Pulaski National Monument sought public comment for the higher proposed entrance fee, and public feedback was largely supportive.
Entrance fees are not charged to persons younger than age 16 or holders of the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Annual, Senior, Access or Military Passes. These passes may be obtained at the park as well as other federal fee areas. The cost of these passes will not increase. Commercial tours and buses will now pay per person rather than by capacity.

The entrance-fee rates are based on a national fee-rate schedule that was due to be implemented in 2009 but was postponed by the NPS because of the national economic downturn that occurred at about the same time. Additional revenue from the fee increase will be used to enhance visitor services, including repair and maintenance of park facilities, restoration and rehabilitation of the fort, additional park programs and increased resource protection. There will be an emphasis on park improvements prior to the NPS centennial anniversary in 2016.

This fee increase is part of a larger National Park Service initiative to standardize fees in similar national parks across the country. Previous fee increases have had no negative effect on visitation levels.

In 2014, a National Park Service report showed that 387,000 visitors to the National Monument spent $23.9 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 351 jobs in the local area.

For more information, go to www.nps.gov/fopu, call 912-786-5787, follow the park on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FortPulaskiNPS or like the official Fort Pulaski National Monument Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FortPulaskiNPS.