Sacajawea State Park in Pasco saw a 50 percent drop in visitors in the first month the state began requiring the new Discover Pass. Park Ranger Reade Obern said he has had numerous conversations with park users about the pass. Some people are angry about it until they realize state parks no longer are supported by taxpayers, he said.
— Tri-City Herald
It is one of those instances where people want services, like State Parks but don’t want to pay for them, or they don’t understand the costs associated with them. It is unfortunate as the scenery at state parks is rarely matched by private facilities. I guess the key would be ensuring the level of services within the park is on par with what is available privately in the same price range.
We’ve run into this as well at Riverside State Park near Spokane. Many folks I’ve talked to recently made the mistake of assuming that if they paid the extra $5 fee for state parks when renewing their tabs that they would be covered when visiting the parks. An unfortunate situation made worse by park officials coming down on people who simply do not understand the state’s intentions. I’ve seen it first hand as well as been a recipient of park enforcement and can tell you it is often less than pleasant.