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Proposed Developed Recreation Fee Changes
Shasta-Trinity National Forest 2021 Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) Proposed Developed Recreation Fee Changes
The Shasta-Trinity National Forest (STNF) is proposing changes to developed recreation fees for facilities under the REA Fee Program. The fee changes include new fees and increase of fees at several fee sites.
Background
The STNF has operated a recreation fee program since 1997. During the past 23 years, the fee program has undergone numerous changes because of public input, legislative action, and program development. The fee program helps provide funding to operate the Forest’s challenging recreation program — complying with FS health and safety standards, meeting public expectations for high quality recreation opportunities, and addressing deferred maintenance. While the revenue derived from fees is a critical component, it is only part of a more comprehensive funding strategy that includes appropriated dollars, grants and agreements, and partner and volunteer support. The Forest continues to see a gap in current allocations to current revenue collected. These proposed new and increased fees will assist the Forest in closing that gap, be able to support the exponential increase of use, and continue to maintain sites to the level our visitors come to expect.
The revenue from the REA fee program allows us to better meet public expectations for high quality recreation opportunities and maintenance of recreation sites. REA authorizes the Forest to keep 95% of fees collected to stay at the Forest level. This helps the Forest reinvest the new and increased fees to modernize our sites and assist in large scale projects needed on several sites. Visitors to areas where the Forest is currently charging a fee will see increased visitor security, improved trail connections, degraded/inaccessible amenities such as picnic tables and fire rings will be improved/replaced with accessible amenities, and many other improvements.
Proposal Specifics
The Shasta-Trinity National Forest is proposing to charge new fee at 38 developed day use or overnight sites, increase the fee at 21 developed recreation overnight sites and 1 Special Recreation Permit (Annual Summit Pass) to help fund ongoing operations, maintenance, and improvements to the forest's recreation sites.
Proposal List with Prices
LINK TO FULL FEE PROPOSAL REPORT WITH PHOTOS
Not all the developed recreation sites and trailheads on the STNF would become a fee site, but many of the developed day use sites that have a vault toilet and other amenities are proposed to become a new fee site. If proposed changes in fee proposal are implemented, 47% (104 sites) of the 222 developed recreation sites would remain free. In addition, the majority of the dispersed recreation sites on the Forest are still free for the public to use and enjoy.
LINK TO FOREST MAP WITH DEVELOPED REC SITES (FEE, FREE, INCREASE AND PROPOSED)
The Shasta-Trinity Recreation Pass that is being proposed will provide visitors a payment option for unlimited use, during the year of purchase, of the proposed developed day use fee sites on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The Shasta–Trinity Recreation Pass is proposed at $40 for an annual pass or $5 for a daily pass. The day use sites this pass covers are located near the cities/towns of Mt. Shasta, McCloud and Weaverville, CA.
The proposed fee prices are based on a market analysis of similar sorts of opportunities within Northern California and the Pacific Northwest.
Learning/Listening Sessions on the Fee Proposal
The Virtual Public Meeting that was scheduled for August was cancelled because of all the wildfire activity that occurred on the Forest which made several Forest Service people unavailable for the virtual meeting. The powerpoint presentation slides are available below.
LINK TO POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
Public Comment Period on the STNF Fee Proposal
The Public comment period started May 25, 2021 and ended September 6, 2021. Comments are currently being reviewed by the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and any final adjustments will be made to the fee proposal to prepare for the Pacific Southwest Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (RRAC) review. The RRAC is a citizen’s advisory committee representing a broad array of recreation interest groups. The RRAC will provide their recommendations to the Regional Forester of the Pacific Southwest Region of the Forest Service for a final decision. The earliest date that any new fees or increased fees would be implemented if the proposal is approved is January 2023 but may be later pending the timeframe of the RRAC committee and Regional Forester review.
A Frequently Asked Questions document was created based on many of the questions received throughout the public comment period.
Please follow this link to Fee Proposal FAQs
If you have questions about the Fee Proposal please reach out to our Project Lead, Jennifer Womack at 530-925-9306.