Changes to recreation fees proposed by the Willamette National Forest

Springfield, Ore., July 19, 2023 – The Willamette National Forest is proposing fee changes at multiple campgrounds, group campgrounds, cabins, and lookouts.

“These fee increases will help us maintain the sites to the level and quality people have come to expect. Many of the proposed fee increases will be phased in over time, rather than all at once. We are also excited to bring on two new cabins into the popular program,” said Dave Warnack, Forest Supervisor for the Willamette National Forest.

The proposed fees by site are listed in the tables below.

Cabins/Lookouts	Existing fee	Proposed
Timber Butte Cabin	$80 per night	$90 per night
Warner Mountain Lookout	$85 per night	$90 per night
Indian Ridge Lookout	$75 per night	$90 per night
Box Canyon	$70 per night	$75 per night
Gold Butte Lookout	$80 per night	$90 per night
Marion Forks Guard Station (new)	$0 per night	$85 per night
Gold Lake Cabin (new)	$0 per night	$85 per night

	Existing fee	Proposed
Campgrounds		Year 1-2	Year 3
Alder Springs	$10 per night	$14 per night	$16 per night
Blair Lake Campground	$14 per night	$16 per night	$20 per night
Daly Lake	$5 per day $0 extra vehicle fee	$14 per night $6 extra vehicle fee	$16 per night $6 extra vehicle fee
Elk Lake – Single site	$12 per night	$14 per night	$16 per night
Double site	$22 per night	$26 per night	$30 per night
Harralson Horse Camp	$5 per day $0 extra vehicle fee	$14 per night $6 extra vehicle fee	$16 per night $6 extra vehicle fee
Horse Creek Group Camp	$75 per night	$100 per night	$125 per night
Indigo Springs Campground	$12 per night	$14 per night	$16 per night
Kiahanie Campground	$14 per night	$16 per night	$20 per night
Piety Island – Single site	$12 per night	$14 per night	$16 per night
Double site	$22 per night	$26 per night	$30 per night
Roaring River Group Camp	$50 per night	$60 per night	no change
Sacandaga	$14 per night	$16 per night	$20 per night
Scott Lake Campground	$5 per day $0 extra vehicle fee	$14 per night $6 extra vehicle fee	$16 per night $6 extra vehicle fee
Shady Cove – Single site	$12 per night	$14 per night	$16 per night
Double site	$22 per night	$26 per night	$30 per night
Skookum Campground	$5 per day $0 extra vehicle fee	$14 per night $6 extra vehicle fee	$16 per night $6 extra vehicle fee
Timpanogas Campground	$14 per night	$16 per night	$20 per night
Trail Bridge	$16 per night	$18 per night	$20 per night

In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) which allows the Forest Service to retain 80% of the revenue from these proposed recreation fees to operate, maintain and improve facilities. Raising the revenue collected through recreation fees would help keep up with rising maintenance, utility and staffing costs. The fees help provide and ensure quality recreation opportunities and creates a more financially sustainable developed recreation program.

All fee changes are reviewed by a citizen’s advisory committee, which will make recommendations to the Pacific Northwest Regional Forester about whether to approve the proposed changes. Committee members represent a broad array of recreation interest groups to help ensure that the Forest Service is proposing reasonable and publicly acceptable new fees and fee changes.

The public is invited to comment on the proposed fee changes to the developed recreation program. The comment period is set to end by close of business on September 15, 2023.  To ensure that your comments are considered, please send your comments no later than the above date to [email protected] or Willamette National Forest, Attention: Matt Peterson, 3106 Pierce Parkway, Suite D, Springfield, OR 97477. Comments can also be provided online at (https://bit.ly/R6RecFeeProposals).

For more information on the proposed project, visit our website at www.fs.usda.gov/willamette.

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