Summit County Citizens Voice

The U.S. Forest Service has long been grappling with how to pay for maintenance and operations of recreation facilities at Green Mountain Reservoir.

Latest plan would drop day-use parking fees at Cataract Lake, hike campsite fees modestly around the reservoir

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — The U.S. Forest Service once again wants to change the fees for using campgrounds at Green Mountain Reservoir.

The current fee for camping is $5 per vehicle; under the proposed structure, the rate would be $13 per campsite for up to two vehicles, and $5 for each additional vehicle. A $65 pass would allow unlimited camping for the season.

“The proposed fees are comparable to those charged at Dillon Reservoir and the Arapaho National Recreation Area at Grand Lake,” said Ken Waugh, recreation staff officer for the Dillon Ranger District. Get more information on Green Mountain campgrounds here.

The proposed fee schedule would apply to Prairie Point, McDonald Flats, Cataract Creek, Elliot Creek, Willows, Cow Creek North, and Cow Creek South campgrounds. Combined, those sites see about 34,000 visitors during the May to October season, with the highest use during July and August.

The Forest Service also wants to do away with the parking and day-use fees at the Cataract Lake-area trail head. There also will be no fee for day use (fishing, picnicking, or boating) unless vehicles or persons are occupying a camping site. There will no longer be a fee to park at the McDonald Flats Boat Ramp.

The parking fees at Cataract Lake drew the most criticism from citizens over the years since they were enacted in 1997. A citizens advisory group that last year studied a proposed fee increase for the Green Mountain Reservoir area rejected the plan partially based on concerns about the parking and day-use fees. The latest proposal will also be subject to approval by the recreation advisory group.

White River National Forest spokesman Pat Thrasher said the current fee structure is not sustainable. Revenue from the campgrounds is not keeping pace with the cost of managing the facilities. If the fee increase is not approved, the agency might have to consider cutting services and possibly access to some areas and facilities, he said.

At the same time, the Forest Service is finalizing a plan for campground improvements at Green Mountain, funded by more than $1 million dollars of federal stimulus money. Among other things, the agency wants to add new sites, improve campground roads, and make access from Highway 9 more safe. The environmental study will also identify a location for a new boat launch facility.

Forest Service lands specialist Paul Semmer said notices on the draft study for the improvement plan should be going out within the next week, initiating a public comment period. This is a completely separate process from the comments on the fee proposal.

Semmer said the improvement plan is more of a big picture look at recreation use at Green Mountain, while the fee proposal is aimed at funding ongoing operations and maintenance.

The latest fee proposal was developed with input from Heeney businesses, local recreation users, and other organizations. Now, the Forest Service wants input from the wider community, Thrasher said.

“If the proposed increase in fees at Green Mountain is not approved, the Forest Service will be faced with some very serious decisions as to how we manage these popular recreation facilities. Without the ability to manage these facilities at the basic level, we run the risk of compromising public health and safety, and that is unacceptable,” said Jan Cutts, Dillon District Ranger.

Specific comments about the fee amount, the season pass, and the per site fee structure are especially desired. Submit comments on this proposal by mailing them to Jan Cutts, Dillon Ranger District, P.O. Box 620, Silverthorne, CO 80498 or by e-mail to wrnf_scoping_comments@fs.fed.us. To be most helpful, please submit comments no later than April 1, 2010.

Filed under: public lands, recreation, Summit County Colorado, US Forest Service Tagged: | camping, Dillon Ranger District, Green Mountain Reservoir, Summit County camping, Summit County News, US Forest Service