Prices on everything, as always, are going up-up-up. National Park entrance fees appear to be no exception under the administration's current plan. Starting next January 1, for example, Yosemite's gate fee is set to climb to $25 from $20. Okay, just five bucks for now, but future increases are set to be tied to inflation and could increase by $3/year. Walking or biking into Yosemite would increase by a bit too, to to $12 from $10.

Local business aren't happy; attendence has been down 20% since the last time gate prices were increased in 1997. That increase was much steeper, however -- $20 from a mere $5. We can't be sure if the effect on attendence will be nearly so dramatic.

Again -- five bucks not so much money, and the fee gets you into the park for your whole trip. However, when you add this to increased gas prices and increased lodging costs, a trip to visit these national treasures becomes less and less viable.

Oh, and five bucks? Man, that's a whole lot of marshmallows for the campfire . . .