Delaware state parks entry fee proposed to rise $1 a day

Delaware state parks leaders are seeking a $1 a day increase to entry fees to most state parks while more than doubling lifetime pass costs for seniors.

The plan, unveiled Tuesday, would be the first changes in a decade to entrance, annual and lifetime pass fees – but the figures are subject to change following public feedback over the next few weeks. The proposal from the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation also comes at a politically fraught moment, when many residents are already dealing with higher property tax bills following a reassessment, higher tolls and new vehicle fees.

The state government maintains 19 different publicly-owned parks or facilities across Delaware, including Brandywine Creek State Park, the Brandywine Zoo, Fort Delaware, Killens Pond State Park, the Indian River Marina, and Cape Henlopen State Park, among others.

The state park system saw 7.4 million visitors across all of its locations in 2024, generating $822 million in director or indirect economic activity for state tourism and businesses, officials reported. That is about 2 million more visits than the parks saw in 2015, when fees were last raised.

Since that time, user-funded operating expenses have increased by 127% during the same period leading the parks to increasingly rely on state government funding or volunteer fundraising to pick up the difference.

State funding to parks and recreation has grown from about $30 million in Fiscal Year 2015 to nearly $36 million in the current fiscal year’s budget – which means taxpayers have essentially been subsidizing lower entry fee costs for visitors.

What’s proposed?

State parks leaders are proposing to raise daily entry fees for Delaware-registered vehicles from $4 to $5, and out-of-state vehicles from $8 to $10. Beach parks would see their entry fees rise from $5 to $10 for in-state, and $10 to $20 for out of state.

Annual passes would rise from $35 to $50 for in-state and $70 to $100 for out-of-state. Annual senior passes would rise from $18 to $25 for in-state and $35 to $50 for out-of-state, while military passes would increase from $17.50 to $25 and $35 to $50, respectively.

Lifetime passes, which are only available to Delawareans 65 or older, would rise from $65 to $150.

Parks officials said that sharing of such passes among family, friends or even rental homes in resort communities has impacted its revenues.

“With nearly 50,000 passes already in circulation, the Division collects no additional revenue once they are issued. The proposed fee aligns the cost of a Lifetime Pass with the equivalent of six years of a discounted senior annual pass, which we believe is a fair balance to sustain the program,” officials wrote in a report on the fee proposals.

How can the public contribute?

The division has hosted two open houses this week to allow the public to meet with state parks leaders and provide input and feedback on the proposed fee schedule.

A third and final open house is scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. tonight at the Killens Pond Nature Center in Killens Pond State Park, located at 5025 Killens Pond Road in Felton

Attendees will have the opportunity to review visitation, staffing, cost and revenue information, ask questions of staff and provide input. There will not be a formal presentation.

An online survey is also available to compile feedback from the public until midnight Oct. 29.

The Delaware Park Council will consider a new fee structure at its 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, meeting at the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, located at 818 Kitts Hummock Road in Dover.