I'm from out of town. Do I need a permit to visit the Park?

Entrance fee $5 and park time 8am to 5pm

You usually have to pay $5 for parking.

So, it varies, but typically on weekdays the park is open to the public, but found on weekends they collect fees probably due to the high volume of visitors. Id check online and give a call though because the sign at the gate says otherwise.