Officials to start $5 parking fee at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in March

Beginning March 1, visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will pay a $5 fee to park as part of a new plan to generate revenue to refurbish buildings and other amenities on the two-state campus.

The attraction’s “Park It Forward” initiative was announced in April and subsequent input from emailed comments showed that 85 percent of people supported the new charge.

Other parking packages will include a $15 charge for a week of parking and $40 for a year-round pass.

(IMAGE: Great Smoky Mountains National Park / NPS / Official Instagram / DPI)