Feds seek input on recreation fees

SUMMIT COUNTY - Paying to access what were once free recreation sites on national forest lands does not necessarily sit well with most people. But based on fiscal realities, the fee program is likely here to stay in some form, at least for the foreseeable future.

And now, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management are looking for citizens to join a new 11-member advisory group that will provide input on federal land recreation fees in Colorado. "Fees are charged at areas that provide amenities like trash collection, restrooms, potable water, boat ramps and interpretive exhibits," said Regional Forester Rick Cables, explaining that most recreation opportunities on national forest lands will remain free.

"This is the committee that needs to be in place for us to change the fees at Green Mountain," said Ken Waugh, recreation staff officer for the Dillon Ranger District.

The camping and day-use facilities around the reservoir near Heeney are among the handful of fee sites in Summit County that could come up for the so-called Recreation Resource Advisory Council, Waugh said. Winter use at Vail Pass is also managed under the federal Recreation Enhancement Act, so any proposed changes would also be subject to review by the RRAC.

Other sites nearby that would fall under the review of the RRAC are the Upper Colorado River boat ramps and day-use facilities downstream from Kremmling.

Waugh said another local example of a local site that could be reviewed by the group would be a potential opening of a campground at Officer's Gulch, an idea that's being "kicked around" by the Dillon District.

"We figure this could be a big money-maker," Waugh said of Officer's Gulch site, explaining that its proximity to I-70 and Officer's Gulch Pond could make it an attractive stop for highway travelers.

Besides those examples, there aren't any other sites in Summit County being considered for new fees or for potential closure, Waugh said.

In a separate issue, the agency plans to remove the water system from the Blue River campground, just a few miles north of Silverthorne along Highway 9. The system is expensive to maintain as-is, and new state water testing requirements make continued maintenance of the system prohibitive, he said.

The potential closing of hundreds of sites around the region is what has fee opponents like the West Slope No Fee Coalition all riled up. The group claims the Forest Service developed a master plan for shutting down campgrounds and other facilities with no public input.

Waugh said the Recreation Facility Master Plan was written up without public comment, but he said site-specific implementation, at least on the Dillon District, does include a public process, as demonstrated by the planning for Green Mountain.

And it is likely that some sites will be closed, at least seasonally, said Pam Devore, recreation fee manager for the Rocky Mountain Region of the Forest Service.

"We're looking at how we can manage our facilities more efficiently. There are some recreation sites that are no-brainers," Devore said, referring to campgrounds that simply aren't used enough to make their operation worthwhile, at least from the agency's standpoint.

On the White River National Forest, that includes some remote campgrounds that are only used during the hunting season, for example. Devore said the Forest Service will take a hard look at whether to operate those sites in other seasons.

Even some relatively new sites could be affected by the master plan. She said that includes some "fairly new" sites in the Flat Tops area.

"They weren't designed for modern users," Devore said, explaining that RV use has increased dramatically, a trend that wasn't anticipated in the design of the Flat Tops campgrounds. In that case, the agency may decide to rebuild the sites and operate them under the fee program, based in part on input from the new advisory council.

Waugh said it would be beneficial to the Forest Service to have someone from the local area who is familiar with operations at Green Mountain and Vail Pass to serve on the group.

"It would be nice to have people who know what we can and can't do," he said.

Council members will serve two- or three-year terms and will be selected either by the regional forester or by agency brass in Washington, D.C., Devore said.



Bob Berwyn can be reached at (970) 331-5996, or at bberwyn@summitdaily.com.

Various stakeholders to be represented on RRAC

The RRAC will be comprised of:

• five people who represent summer and winter motorized and nonmotorized users, including activities like hunting, skiing, fishing and snowmobiling;

• three people who represent, as appropriate, motorized and nonmotorized outfitters and guides, potentially including hunting and fishing guides, as well as commercial rafting operations;

• and three people who represent state tourism, Native American tribes and local governments.

Applications for the council are due by Oct. 21. More information on the RRAC, as well as application criteria and nomination packets are available online at http://www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/rrac-application.shtml or by calling Pam Devore at (303) 275-5043, or by e-mail to pdevore@fs.fed.us.