Posts Tagged ‘umpqua national forest’

Umpqua National Forest Proposes New Recreation Fees (Oregon)

Contacts:
Cheryl Caplan, Public Affairs Staff, (541) 957-3270
Bill Blackwell, Assistant Forest Recreation Staff, (541) 957-3349

Roseburg, OR – After completing financial and market analyses, recreation managers at the Umpqua National Forest are proposing to raise fees at recreation sites on the forest and begin charging fees at six recreation sites starting in May 2010.

The proposed changes in recreation fees would help offset increased operation and maintenance costs and help to improve as well as maintain aging campgrounds, trailheads, rental cabins, and other recreation sites. The rates were standardized across the Umpqua National Forest based on the amenities at each campground.

The Forest Service is seeking public comment concerning this proposal prior to presenting it to the Pacific Northwest Recreation Resource Advisory Committee in January. The committee will make recommendations whether this proposal should be implemented.

Ninety-five percent of the funds collected at recreation fee sites remain on the Umpqua National Forest to be used for operations and maintenance at those sites. Recently, these types of funds were used to purchase new toilets, picnic tables, and grills at several campgrounds and rentable lookouts and cabins.

Fee increases of $2 to $11 per night are proposed for 38 campgrounds on the Umpqua National Forest to become more consistent with neighboring forests and recreation sites having similar amenities. Most of the fee increases are in the $3 to $4 range, with larger fee increases to be phased in over a multi-year period. Fees for extra vehicles at a campsite are proposed to increase modestly to $5. Fees for large group sites are anticipated to increase by $12 to $68 with the increase to be phased in over several years.

A fee increase from $40 per night to $50 is proposed for Musick Guard Station rental. The proposal for Fairview Peak Lookout rental is an increase to $50 per night for the next two years and then $65 a night. Rental fee increases from $40 per night to $50 are proposed in 2011 after improvements are completed to Acker Rock Lookout, Butler Butte Cabin, Pickett Butte Lookout, and Whiskey Camp Guard Station rentals.

New recreation fees of $10 are proposed at Ash Flat and Three C Rock campgrounds. Northwest Forest Pass fees of $5 are proposed at the South Umpqua Falls Day-Use Area, East Brice Creek / Champion Creek Trailhead, and Thielsen View Boat Launch. A new recreation fee of $25 or $50 is proposed at Rujada Picnic Area, depending on the number of sites used.

A list of the proposed fees at individual recreation sites is available at the Forest web site: www.fs.fed.us/r6/umpqua/projects/rec-fee-proposal/

The updated fee proposal for the Umpqua is an outcome from a Recreation Facility Analysis (RFA) process completed in 2006 and financial and market analysis in 2009. During this process recreation employees evaluated the management of 122 developed recreation sites, including campgrounds, trailheads, and cabin rentals, and then developed a five-year program of work.

All fee change proposals will be presented before a citizen’s advisory committee, called Pacific Northwest Recreation Resource Advisory Committee, or Recreation RAC. Committee members represent a broad array of recreation interest groups to help ensure that the Forest Service is proposing reasonable and publicly acceptable fee changes. Recreation RAC members ensure that the Forest Service addresses public issues and concerns about recreation fees.

Public comments on proposed fee increases for the Umpqua National Forest will be reviewed by the Recreation RAC as well as Umpqua National Forest staff. To comment, contact the Umpqua National Forest by calling Bill Blackwell, Assistant Forest Recreation Staff Officer at 541-957-3349 or emailing your comment to comments-pacificnorthwest-umpqua@fs.fed.us.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/umpqua/news/2009/11-20-2009-unf-proposes-new-rec-fees.shtml

Change in Winter Access to Umpqua Hot Springs Hot Springs near Toketee, Oregon

Contact: Bill Gamble, (541) 498-2531

TOKETEE, OR – Visitors planning to soak in the Umpqua Hot Springs on the Umpqua National Forest near Toketee should plan on going by foot the last 2.5 miles after it snows at the 2,500-foot level. The first significant snowfall will prompt the Forest Service to install a temporary gate at the junction of Forest Roads 34 and 3401 to keep people from getting stuck in the snow on their way to the hot springs.

The temporary gate will address public safety and health issues by limiting vehicle access to a plowed parking area at the junction of the two roads. Soakers will then hike, snow shoe or ski 2.5 miles to reach the 108 degree hot springs.

Spurred by multiple winter search-and-rescue calls, this change comes at the request of the Douglas County Sheriff’s office and Toketee residents to gate the road during the winter months to reduce adverse impacts on the Sheriff’s office, search and rescue personnel, and limited county funding. Douglas County responded to 166 calls for service at the hot springs over the past six years.

Visitors are encouraged to come prepared for inclement conditions and to enjoy and respect the winter beauty of the hot springs.