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Winter parking and trail use fees for the Vail Pass area go into effect Friday. The daily fee is $6 per person, per day, free for children under 15. Annual passes are available for $40 at Forest Service visitor centers and at the fee booth at Vail Pass.
This year's thin early season snowpack has prompted the Forest Service to restrict snowmobiles. Travel is only allowed on designated Forest Service roads. No off-road snowmobile travel will be allowed until more snow falls. The restrictions include the Wilder Gulch Trail and the Fowler Hilliard Loop. Off-road travel on a thin snow cover can result in serious damage to the vegetation under the snow.
The 50,000 acre Vail Pass winter recreation area encompasses extends from Copper Mountain on the east to Vail Mountain on the West, Camp Hale on the south and the I-70 corridor on the north.
The fee program pays for the management needed to protect resources in the heavily used area. Management is based on years of collaborative efforts by the Vail Pass Task Force, a citizen's advisory group, and the Forest Service.
The fees collected provide maps, groomed trails, signs, marking and maintenance of routes, enforcement, parking management, visitor information, and backcountry monitoring by uniformed personnel.
The U.S. Forest Service has been conducting wildlife habitat studies in the area, particularly for sensitive lynx. Preliminary results suggest that recreational use in the area is already affecting wildlife. That makes it especially important for users of the area to respect the rules.
This year's thin early season snowpack has prompted the Forest Service to restrict snowmobiles. Travel is only allowed on designated Forest Service roads. No off-road snowmobile travel will be allowed until more snow falls. The restrictions include the Wilder Gulch Trail and the Fowler Hilliard Loop. Off-road travel on a thin snow cover can result in serious damage to the vegetation under the snow.
The 50,000 acre Vail Pass winter recreation area encompasses extends from Copper Mountain on the east to Vail Mountain on the West, Camp Hale on the south and the I-70 corridor on the north.
The fee program pays for the management needed to protect resources in the heavily used area. Management is based on years of collaborative efforts by the Vail Pass Task Force, a citizen's advisory group, and the Forest Service.
The fees collected provide maps, groomed trails, signs, marking and maintenance of routes, enforcement, parking management, visitor information, and backcountry monitoring by uniformed personnel.
The U.S. Forest Service has been conducting wildlife habitat studies in the area, particularly for sensitive lynx. Preliminary results suggest that recreational use in the area is already affecting wildlife. That makes it especially important for users of the area to respect the rules.
