Ryan Zinke to raise park fees $5 after backing off huge hikes

The Department of Interior announced Thursday it will raise fees in more than 100 national parks by $5, backing away from its original plan to more than double entrance costs at some of the nation’s most popular sites.

The original proposal, released in October, included fees up to $70 during peak season at 17 popular parks, such as the Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches, Shenandoah and Acadia national parks. The plan, meant to help pay for a $12 billion maintenance backlog, was met with outrage from across the country by people who argued the steep increase would make the parks inaccessible for many.