The Department of Natural Resources isn’t supposed to generate profit for the state. It should conserve, not exploit.
However, operating at significant losses year over year isn’t sustainable, especially when legislative inaction leaves money on the table.
It’s been 11 months since my last “it’s time to charge parking fees at DNR facilities” column, a longstanding tradition dating back to a 2016 family vacation to Grand Haven, Michigan, revived over the years in conjunction with other Midwestern outings.
Today’s thoughts come from reading Ben Szalinski’s May 10 Capitol News Illinois report headlined “State parks draw highest number of visitors in more than a decade.” DNR numbers show more than 41 million visitors to 290 state parks and 56 historic sites in 2024, while also highlighting tens of millions spent, with more on deck, to repair and enhance sites statewide.
Among the huge projects is the $73 million spent on erosion control at Illinois Beach State Park, the site my family has enjoyed most frequently since our return to Illinois in 2007. It’s the second-most popular state park, drawing 2 million visitors last year, and while there’s no plausible formula through which charging only those cars could drum up enough revenue to build 22 breakwater structures, it remains clear that Illinois could follow the lead of Michigan and Wisconsin to at least get a little offset.
State leaders are looking to spend another $60 million for deferred maintenance statewide, with more than half earmarked for Starved Rock, the undisputed crown jewel of the state park system that draws well more than 2 million every year and is included in virtually every tourism promotional effort.
Every parking fee proposal incites negative feedback. While the DNR isn’t the worst-run state agency, it would unquestionably be in better shape with additional revenue. That was especially true during the budget stalemate days of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration. And now the projects we didn’t do then are more expensive and complicated.
Legislative attempts have failed for various reasons, including a plan to charge admission fees to cars and pedestrians at only Starved Rock while trying to make carveouts for people who live nearby.
In 2017, Wisconsin was charging $11 per day and $38 per year to out-of-state vehicles to park at any state park, forest, recreation area or trailhead. The annual rate has shockingly not increased, although effective this year, all daily rate passes are the same $16 price that used to be set aside for the most popular destination, Devil’s Lake State Park.
Although fees might inhibit another year of record attendance, extra revenue also could improve DNR’s ability to sustain itself such that our public treasurers remain vital and viable for many future generations.
• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.
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