Did You Know the Federal Government Has Fee for Climbing Rocks?

The United States Constitution gives the federal government limited power to own property within each state. For some reason that hasn't stopped them from developing things like National Parks. Within these parks are exuberant fees to use these parks. I just learned of one of these fees after spending the weekend hiking in the Great Smokies National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina.

Did you know the federal government has a fee for rock climbers? That's right. If you are one of the daredevils that likes to go directly up a large rock wall, the federal government is going to dig deep into your pocket to grant you the privilege of climbing on cliffs in national parks.

The fee for rock climbing in national parks is about $85. That's right, the federal government ruling over a people they call free is now charging you to do something that should be free like climb large rocks that God--not the federal government--made.

The fees go back to 2004 and were part of an omnibus bill. Strangely enough, the bill was sponsored by a Republican whose state doesn't have a lot of federal parks. Ralph Regula, from Ohio, introduced the fee program.

Now there is a less expensive alternative. You can purchase an America the Beautiful pass that gives you access to federal lands for specific activities the federal government charges you to engage in places like federal forests. These are like camping fees, park entry fees, etc. In other words, the Federal Government is charging you to enjoy national treasures created by God. Tell me you aren't surprised.