Why Visitors Will Soon Have To Pay A Higher Price Than Usual To Visit Georgia's State Parks

Many of Georgia's most beloved destinations are part of its state park system. Some preserve important historic landmarks, like the ancient wall hidden among the woodland trails of Fort Mountain State Park. Others are gateways to the state's lush landscapes, such as the ridges and waterfalls of Black Rock Mountain State Park. Visitors may soon notice that these outdoor treasures are charging a bit more than they did in the past. At the tail end of October 2025, the Georgia Board of Natural Resources voted to increase fees for state park visitors. Though the price adjustments haven't been well-received by some park advocates, the board cited them as a necessary change to keep up with maintenance.

"[T]he cost of caring for [the parks] has risen dramatically in the past 16 years," Damon Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, told the Georgia Recorder. He noted that "the backlog of maintenance and repair continues to grow," and the sole source of funding for those projects is the fees imposed on park visitors. The total cost of the growing upkeep needs is over $500 million.

For some, that increased cost could be an added hurdle for getting to benefit from the vast public green space that the parks system offers. "The state parks of Georgia should be for all the people of Georgia, regardless of income," argued Mark Woodall, Legislative Chair of the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter, in a statement. "This is a terrible time to raise fees," he said, citing rollbacks in nutrition assistance, increased health insurance costs, and raised power rates as some of the financial burdens Georgians have to incur simultaneously.

While some states have made their state parks free to visit, including Tennessee, Arkansas, and Illinois, Georgia's state parks have had fees for visitors long before the October board meeting. Nevertheless, its fees haven't changed much in the past 15 years — the last parking fee increase was in 2009. With the newly proposed plan, the daily parking fee (which covers park entry) will increase from $5 to $10, while the annual pass will cost $70, up from $50. Larger vehicles will have to pay $50 for daily van parking (up from $30), and bus daily passes will rise from $70 to $100. Finally, the proposed increases also affect the veteran discounted fee: from $3.75 to $7.50 for daily passes, and from $37.50 to $52.50 for an annual pass.

There's no specified timeline for the new increases, though they could become effective in 2026. There's also some talk of further price increases for parking, campsites, and tee times based on demand. For example, that could mean higher prices to book a park cottage in the summer months or paying more for a campsite by the river.

As prices inevitably increase in some way for Georgia's state parks, visitors should keep a couple of money-saving tips in mind. Passes are charged per vehicle, not per person, so if you come with the family, plan to squeeze into fewer cars. For Georgia residents, you may be able to get a free pass if you have a public library card — park passes can be checked out like a book with the Library Loan Program.