New Year Brings Higher Fees for Muir Woods

The fee to explore the beauty of Muir Woods National Monument in our own backyard is going up in 2012.

Starting Jan. 1, the entrance fee to the national park rose from $5 to $7, according to the National Park Service.

The increase is an effort by the park service to support and Samuel P. Taylor state parks, the two California-owned parks located within its Golden Gate National Recreation Area. that were .

The extra $2 per visit could bring in up to $1 million annually, according to the park service.

National park officials said the state parks serve a vital role in handling all of the parking for Muir Woods visitors, as well as overseeing hiking trails that are accessed through the national park lands.

"Muir Woods, Golden Gate and Mt. Tamalpais State Park are inextricably linked," GGNRA Superintendent Frank Dean said in a statement.

The $2 State Park fee will go directly to California State Parks in recognition of the heavy use their lands see as the access point for Muir Woods, including all of the parking for the Woods, and the many hiking trails beyond Muir Woods that are accessed through the NPS lands," the park service said in a statement.

The fee is for visitors who are 16 years and older who do not hold one of the designated national or state park passes. Children ages 15 years and under get into the park for free.

"Increasing the fee at Muir Woods has its drawbacks, especially as we continue to strive to reach wider audiences and welcome more visitors, but still is worth making a modest increase if that means we can keep other important park resources and experiences in Marin open and protected," Dean said.

--Bay City News Service contributed to this report