APOSTLE ISLAND NATIONAL LAKESHORE, WI (AP)-- Visitors to the ice caves at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore may have to begin paying more to see the Lake Superior wonder.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports the National Park Service, which operates the park in northern Wisconsin, has proposed a $5 special recreation fee to see the caves. The agency says the current $3 fee for parking at the trailhead lot amounted to $47,000 in revenue, only a fraction of what it cost to manage about 138,000 visitors last year.
The park service says the proposed permit fee would allow it to provide sufficient staff and infrastructure during open ice caves season. The acting superintendent of the park says his staff is committed to keeping the park affordable while providing the best possible experience for visitors.