The U.S. Forest Service is proposing to raise campground fees and establish new fees at selected recreation sites on the Umpqua National Forest and is soliciting comments from the public until October 31, 2022.
Fee changes are being considered to allow the forest to continue to provide services such as garbage collection, drinking water and to provide for the health and public safety expected by visitors at recreation sites. These fees will also be used for large scale maintenance and improvement projects. Recreation fees on the Umpqua National Forest were last changed in 2009.
Public input on the proposed changes is a welcome and valued part of the overall process. Forest Service staff will evaluate and later present the public comments and input to a citizen advisory committee. The advisory committee will review all recommended fee changes before making recommendations to the Regional Forester. Changes would not go into effect until after approval of the Regional Forester has reviewed public comments and other associated data.
The proposal includes changing fees at 52 recreation sites including campgrounds, showers, dump stations, lookouts/cabins, and a trailhead. Many listed campsites would see an increase of $2 to $5 per site. Dump station and shower use are now free and proposed to be $10 and $2 respectively. Cabin and lookout rental fee increases vary by site, but the new fees would be $65-$75 per night. Skillet and Dumont campgrounds would be converted to group reservation campgrounds. Skillet would be $35 or $40 per night depending on the site. Dumont would be $60 per night. A complete list of sites with proposed changes can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/umpqua/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1049177.
Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act in 2004, which allows the Forest Service to keep 95 percent of recreation fees collected and use the funds to operate, maintain, and improve these fee sites. Recent recreation site investments on the Umpqua National Forest made possible using recreation fees include sewer system upgrades at Diamond Lake, water system upgrades at Horseshoe Bend campground, and upgrades to cabin and lookout rentals.
Forest Service staff anticipates presenting the proposed fee changes to a citizen advisory committee. The public is welcome to comment in writing and at all advisory committee meetings. The exact meeting times, location, and agenda will be announced on the forest website and through local media.
Written comments on the proposal should be mailed by October 31, 2022, to Umpqua National Forest, ATTN: Recreation Fees, 2900 NW Stewart Parkway, Roseburg, OR 97471, or emailed to SM.FS.umpcomments@usda.gov.
