It's going to cost a bit more to get into Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, and camping fees are going up as well. Park officials say the higher rates will be in place February 1, this coming Sunday.

To lessen the impact of the fee increases, the park chose to phase the changes in over three years.

'œIt is important that our national parks remain affordable and accessible to everyone," said acting Superintendent Wendy Ross. "We were encouraged by the public response supporting the need for higher fees. The additional funds will be used where they were generated to benefit park visitors and improve facilities.'

The fee schedule will increase the entrance fee from $10 to $20 per vehicle per week for this year and next year, and then bump it up again, to $25, for 2017. Increases also are in store for visitors arriving by motorcycle and on foot (see accompanying chart). Camping fees for the Cottonwood and Juniper campgrounds will go up from $10 per night to $14 during the high season, $7 per night in winter. Lower fees will be charged for seniors .

Federal law requires that recreational fees charged on public lands be used for direct visitor benefits. In recent years, projects funded by recreational fees have included printing the park'™s visitor guide, producing the award-winning orientation film, and maintaining campgrounds and trails. A park-wide project to design and install new wayside exhibits is currently in progress.

The park plans to use the additional revenue from increased fees for more trail rehabilitation, visitor publications, museum exhibit improvements, public restrooms, and other projects.  Entrance fees are not charged to persons under 16 years of age or to holders of Access or Military Passes. Prices for the Interagency Annual ($80) and Senior ($10) Passes will not change and those passes will still be available for purchase at the park. The following table outlines the approved fee schedule for Theodore Roosevelt National Park.