The PARC Act: National Parks Must Accept Cash for Entrance Fees to Guarantee Access

The Protecting Access to Recreation with Cash Act, or the PARC Act, is short, sweet, and focused on one thing: making sure that if a National Park System site charges an entrance fee, they have to accept cold, hard cash. This bill mandates that the Secretary of the Interior ensure that every park unit that charges a fee must have a way for visitors to pay that fee using physical currency. Essentially, no more credit-card-only lanes at the park entrance.

The End of the Card-Only Park Entrance

This legislation directly addresses a growing trend where many fee collection points—from toll roads to federal parks—have gone cashless, often citing efficiency or security. The PARC Act stops this trend dead in its tracks for the National Park Service (NPS). By amending Section 803(e) of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the bill guarantees that cash remains a valid form of payment for park entry. For the average park visitor, this means you don't have to worry about your credit card being declined, your phone battery dying, or the park's Wi-Fi being down when you pull up to the gate.

Access for Everyone, Not Just Digital Natives

Who benefits most from this? It’s not just the folks who prefer cash; it’s about equity. Think about the millions of Americans who are unbanked or underbanked—they might not have a credit card or even a debit card. If a park only accepts plastic, it creates a financial barrier to accessing public lands that were meant for everyone. This bill ensures that access to iconic spots like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon isn't restricted by whether you have a bank account or a smartphone payment app. For a construction worker who gets paid in cash and wants to take their family camping for the weekend, this removes a potential headache at the gate.

The Trade-Off: Cash Management

While this is a clear win for consumer access and financial inclusion, it’s worth noting the practical challenge it hands to the National Park Service itself. Handling cash is more resource-intensive and riskier than processing digital payments. The NPS will have to manage increased operational costs related to securing, counting, and transporting physical currency. For a busy park entrance, this means more time spent training staff, potentially hiring armored car services, and dealing with the security risks associated with having cash on site. The bill ensures public access, but the NPS will bear the administrative burden of managing a cash-based system alongside their electronic options.