Why Should Delaware Care?
Residents currently enjoy fairly affordable fees to public parks around the state, but increasing costs to maintain those spaces has led leaders to consider the first fee increase in years.
Whether you’re hiking Brandywine Creek trails, visiting the historic Civil War-era Fort Delaware or enjoying a day on the beaches of Cape Henlopen, these only-in-Delaware experiences may soon get more expensive.
The Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation recently announced that it is considering its first changes in a decade to entrance, annual and lifetime pass fees – but what it may raise them too is still up for discussion, and the public is invited to provide input.
But that proposal also comes at a politically fraught moment, when many residents are already dealing with higher property tax bills following a reassessment, higher tolls and new vehicle fees.
The state government maintains 18 different publicly-owned parks or facilities across Delaware, including Brandywine Creek State Park, the Brandywine Zoo, Fort Delaware, Killens Pond State Park, Indian River Marina, and Cape Henlopen State Park, among others.
The park system saw 7.4 million visitors across all its locations in 2024, generating $822 million in direct or indirect economic activity for state tourism and businesses, officials reported. That is about 2 million more visits than the parks saw in 2015, when fees were last raised.
User-funded operating expenses have increased by 127% during the same period, leading the parks to increasingly rely on state government funding or volunteer fundraising to make up the difference.
State funding to parks and recreation has grown from about $30 million in Fiscal Year 2015 to nearly $36 million in the current fiscal year’s budget – which means taxpayers have essentially been subsidizing lower entry fee costs for visitors.
Those fees fund about 65% of day-to-day costs to operate the parks, maintain the grounds and facilities, and provide visitor services such as restrooms, lifeguards, public safety and programming, according to officials.
“The user fees collected at Delaware State Parks help make our facilities and programs the best, earning our state the National Recreation and Park Association’s Gold Medal recognition for being the best managed state park system in the country two times in the last 10 years,” State Parks Director Matthew Ritter said in a statement. “Unfortunately, our efforts to broaden revenue opportunities, find creative ways to reduce expenses and capitalize on the significant contributions by our Friends groups and volunteers are no longer enough to keep pace with the growth in expenditures.”
David Koppeser, president of the Friends of White Clay Creek State Park, a volunteer group that helps support fundraising and programming at the Newark-area state park, said that he wasn’t aware of details on what the Meyer administration would propose next week.
“But, as an individual, I realize that the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is challenged to cover a substantial portion of their costs, and so I understand the need to occasionally adjust prices,” he told Spotlight Delaware.
How can the public give input?
Three open houses will allow the public to meet with state parks leaders and provide input and feedback on a proposed fee schedule that will be shared in the public sessions.
Attendees will have the opportunity to review visitation, staffing, cost and revenue information, ask questions of staff and provide input. There will not be a formal presentation at the open houses.
An online survey will compile feedback from the public. It will be available starting Sept. 30, along with information on a proposed fee schedule, at destateparks.com/fee-proposal.
The open houses are scheduled for:
• Tuesday, Sept. 30, 5:30 – 7 p.m., at the Blue Ball Barn in Alapocas Run State Park, 1914 W. Park Drive in Wilmington
• Wednesday, Oct. 1, 5:30 – 7 p.m., at the Officers Club in Cape Henlopen State Park, 15099 Cape Henlopen Drive in Lewes
• Thursday, Oct. 2, 5:30 – 7 p.m., at the Killens Pond Nature Center in Killens Pond State Park, 5025 Killens Pond Road in Felton
What are the current costs?
Currently, entry to Delaware’s inland parks costs $4 while ocean parks cost $5. Out-of-state residents pay double those rates.
Discount books are available, giving six entry passes for $20 to inland parks and $25 to ocean parks, with out-of-state residents paying the same but receiving half the number of passes.
Annual passes allowing unlimited entries into any state park are also available for $35 to in-state residents, while seniors over 62 pay $18 and military veterans pay $17.50. Out-of-state residents pay $70 for an annual pass or $35 for a senior pass. No military discounts are available to non-Delawareans.
Those who are 65 or older are also able to purchase a lifetime pass for $65.
What do other states charge?
Delaware’s fees generally sit within the range of its neighboring states outside of one notable exception: Pennsylvania charges no entry fee for its 124 state parks.
It is one of only a small handful of states to supply free access to its public parks – others include Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee – and by far offers the largest park system of those that do.
Pennsylvania funds its parks through taxpayer-funded appropriations in the state budget, fees on municipal waste disposal and federal grants. The approach has left its parks system with a significant backlog of maintenance projects that totaled more than $1.4 billion in 2023 though, according to reporting by Spotlight PA.
Meanwhile, New Jersey charges a range between $5 for in-state residents up to $20 for out-of-state visitors to its 19 parks. The rates change between parks and between weekday and weekend or holiday rates.
Similarly in Maryland, which has 53 state parks, the fees range by park and time of entry, but the most common rate structure is $3 for residents and $5 for out-of-state visitors.