NPS Just Set “Unconstitutional, Discriminatory” New Ban Rule On Visitors At Another National Park

The attractive nationwide parks of the United States have been drawing criticism for an uncommon purpose during the last a number of months—not due to closed trails and campgrounds at sure websites stemming from federal hiring freezes and persistent understaffing, although. Parkgoers have expressed their frustration over a unique form of annoyance, one which’s really sparked an ongoing lawsuit. It’d most likely take lots for People to sue their beloved NPS, however that is precisely what’s been occurring because of this new rule change quietly sweeping throughout the nation’s NPS websites.

The bone of rivalry? A slowly creeping ban on money as fee to enter websites managed by the NPS, and loads of persons are very sad about it. Initially, distant or smaller parks with decrease numbers of employees had been the primary to transition to a completely digital fee system, however bigger nationwide parks throughout the USA are additionally easing into this transformation.

Earlier within the spring, Acadia National Park in Maine adopted its new approach to entrance fees, phasing out money as a suitable fee technique. Different parks have additionally adopted swimsuit; Arizona’s Saguaro and Colorado’s Black Canyon of the Gunnison also no longer take cash as payment for entry, campground bookings, and different providers inside their boundaries. Now, the NPS simply confirmed that one other main nationwide park has joined the ranks of cashless NPS websites—and plenty of park guests will not like what is basically a ban on authorized tender, with some voicing their anger over it being “unconstitutional” and “discriminatory.”

Shenandoah Nationwide Park Is Transitioning To A Cashless Payment System

Beginning on July 1, 2025, Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park will go cash-free and can block guests from having the ability to pay with bodily U.S. {dollars}. The park simply released a statement on the NPS website, asserting that it’s going to settle for solely digital or cellular funds for all entrance and campground charges.

“By transitioning to a cashless system, park employees will spend much less time managing money and extra time serving to guests,” the NPS defined in its assertion.

The explanation for this transformation, which is just about a ban on money, is to make employees’s jobs simpler by liberating up their time, thereby enhancing the customer expertise within the park. As an illustration, when Acadia Nationwide Park went cashless earlier in 2025, the NPS defined that, in peak season, “rangers spend as much as eight-and-a-half hours per day documenting, reporting, and transferring money receipts.”

“Money gross sales characterize lower than 5% of in-person gross sales within the park,” the NPS added when it determined to transition to a no-cash coverage, a low share which it, in addition to different parks (and now Shenandoah) is prone to see soar in mild of the NPS’s new fee rule adjustments which might be slowly rolling out in parks everywhere in the nation.

Nonetheless, very like many different parks which might be already implementing the ban on money, Shenandoah’s upcoming cashless fee system is not simply restricted to on-site cellular, credit score, and debit card funds. It additionally consists of the choice to pay for entry charges, campground charges, and permits on-line through www.recreation.gov, because the NPS assured guests in its on-line assertion. Nonetheless, there may be an exception to the brand new cashless payment rule.

Shenandoah Will Proceed To Settle for Money For Non-NPS Expenses

The change to a completely digital, cashless fee system in Shenandoah Nationwide Park solely applies to charges paid straight by the NPS. These principally include entrance charges, exercise charges, campground reservations, and funds for permits. The “money ban” does not apply to meals institutions, motels, or present retailers situated throughout the park’s grounds; every enterprise is permitted to proceed setting its personal guidelines on the sorts of fee accepted.

Great Falls Park is one other (however smaller) Virginia NPS website that is additionally gone fully money free in latest months.

How Park Guests Are Reacting To Shenandoah’s Shift Away From Money

The liberty to pay with money at some companies on park grounds is providing some reduction for guests who dislike utilizing digital funds, like cellular and bank cards. Nonetheless, not everyone seems to be proud of Shenandoah’s phasing out of money. Over on the park’s official Instagram web page, it created a post asserting the brand new cash-free fee rule. Unsurprisingly, many individuals criticized the daring change.

“This discrimination towards money paying clients will damage our poorest and stop the marginalized from visiting the pure wonders our park service was created to guard. Nationwide Parks ought to be accessible to all”, an Instagram person declared on the park’s put up.

Extra commoners reacted negatively to Shenandoah’s announcement on Instagram, questioning the perceived contradictions over the federal government refusing “authorities forex”.

Some customers introduced up an excellent level in regards to the park’s digital fee machines needing an web connection with the intention to work, which, many say, typically does not work.

“I am unsure this can be a nice concept. The final time I used to be there, the cardboard machines weren’t working as a result of the WiFi sign wanted to make use of them was so unhealthy. I used to be fortunate I had money”, one Instagram person stated. One other poster additionally introduced up the identical difficulty, saying “This can work nice when the WiFi is down, like it’s half the time.”

It is unclear whether or not Wi-Fi points are a constant downside on the park or whether or not it plans to cope with this grievance as a part of its transfer towards internet-reliant digital fee strategies. Nonetheless, though many responses to Shenandoah Nationwide Park’s Instagram put up had been destructive, some customers appreciated the concept.

“Truthfully it would make the strains faster…”, an Instagram person stated.

Furthermore, it is not simply Shenandoah receiving backlash for eradicating money as a fee choice; the NPS going cashless throughout a number of parks and websites is igniting anger and concern amongst many People, a few of whom are branding the unpopular transfer as illegal and unconstitutional. The elimination of U.S. residents’ authorized and constitutional proper to make use of authorized tender as fee, some really feel, is being violated by the NPS. In consequence, a lawsuit ensued—greater than as soon as.

Residents Are Submitting Lawsuits In opposition to The NPS’s Ban On Money

Ever because the COVID-19 pandemic turned the catalyst for a cashless society, the NPS has been leaping on the digital bandwagon, quietly altering fee insurance policies to a cash-free system throughout an rising variety of NPS-managed parks and websites. Many voters have accepted the change or have remained detached to it, however some park guests aren’t taking it mendacity down and have been loudly talking out towards it.

Three daring park guests, every from completely different components of the nation, had been the primary to file a lawsuit towards the NPS in March 2024. Their grievance accused the NPS of discrimination by using an outdated U.S. regulation. That regulation states:

“cash and forex […] are authorized tender for all money owed, public costs, taxes, and dues.”

That authentic lawsuit was dismissed in courtroom by U.S. District Choose Timothy J. Kelly, who dominated the plaintiffs lacked standing to convey the lawsuit as a result of they had been by no means really denied entry to a nationwide park. Not solely that, however their grievance was additionally thrown out as a result of they had been unable to offer any believable argument {that a} park requiring fee through a credit score or debit card would trigger them irrevocable hurt.

Regardless of shedding the primary lawsuit, the plaintiffs submitted an amended grievance within the spring of 2025, which expands on the constitutional and statutory points that the NPS allegedly violates with its cashless coverage, in accordance with the National Parks Traveler.

Within the up to date lawsuit, it is argued that the NPS’s refusal to just accept authorized tender and alleged try to find out what’s lawful cash are towards U.S. regulation and contradict the U.S. Structure.

Plaintiff’s train of her proper to tender to her authorities its personal forex, and defendants’ fast rejection of that supply is nothing wanting defiance of the regulation. The U.S. Structure provides Congress, not the banks, and most actually not defendants, the authority to find out what’s lawful cash,” the amended lawsuit says, via the National Parks Traveler

The NPS and the Division of Justice have nonetheless repeatedly tried to get the authorized battle dismissed, arguing there isn’t any damage brought on by the fee rule change and that the alleged discrimination relies solely on precept.

Within the meantime, till the lawsuit is both dismissed, misplaced, or received, all isn’t misplaced for parkgoers vehemently towards utilizing digital funds. Close to some cashless parks, third-party distributors settle for money and permit guests to make payment funds, after which they will return to the park with a receipt. Whereas that choice is not accessible at each park, it is nonetheless a viable provision for nationwide park entry for anybody who can’t or won’t pay through card or cellular.