The vital services provided by Entrance Station and Campground rangers are funded by your fee dollars.
NPS Photo
The fee program within the National Park Service, and at Gulf Islands National Seashore pays for itself. All of the staff, supplies, and services that operate the fees program are paid for with a portion of the fees collected.
Staffing Park Entrance Stations - Rangers staff the park’s entrance stations providing vital information and resources for park visitors. This information ensures that all visitors have a safe and enjoyable visit. At times, these rangers can be the only National Park Service ranger visitors will see due to the vast size of the park and the variety of responsibilities for which rangers are responsible.
Campground Staffing & Services - Rangers staffing the campground registration buildings provide check-in, check-out, and other important information for campers at the park’s developed campgrounds in the Fort Pickens and Davis Bayou areas. These rangers help campers find their sites and orient them to the areas and communities at check-in and continue to be a resource for campers throughout their stay. They also recruit, hire, and supervise park volunteer campground hosts who provide additional services in the campgrounds themselves. Electricity costs in the campgrounds, which averages approximately $180,000 per year, are funded by the park’s camping fees.
Online Reservation System - Recreation.gov provides an easy way for campers to make reservations at the park’s developed campgrounds up to six months in advance. This service, provide online or by phone, ensures campers have the ability to properly plan their visit while focusing the staff at the park on those at the campground. There is a set fee for each reservation made through recreation.gov either online or over the phone and camping fees are used to cover this expense.
