Proposed Changes to Recreation Fees Identified by the Black Hills National Forest
Custer, S.D., Sept. 23, 2024 – The Black Hills National Forest is preparing for the fall and winter seasons and is proposing changes to its off-season recreation fees. The proposed fees range from $0 (current) to $5 (proposed) for picnic sites and related day-use areas, along with $0 or $10 (current) to $15 (proposed) for off-season campgrounds. If approved, the proposed fees would become effective in the fall of 2025.
Off-season usage at day-use sites and campgrounds has increased significantly over the past few years. The increased usage creates a need for additional supplies, facility cleaning, toilet pumping, and staff attention. Generally, shoulder seasons include March-April and September-November.
The Forest concessionaire, Forest Recreation Management (FRM), currently operates many of the Forest recreation sites only during the summer season and charges a fee during that time. To keep some facilities open during the shoulder seasons, the Forest is proposing a reduced fee from what is charged during the summer season. “The revenue collected during the shoulder seasons would go back to the Forest and be used to improve recreation sites and keep some facilities open with toilet cleaning and trash collection,” said Shawn Cochran, Forest Supervisor.
The proposed fees by site are listed in the table below.
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Current Fee(s): |
Proposed Fee(s): |
|
|
Bismark Lake Picnic Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Lakota Lake Picnic Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Spring Creek Picnic Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Dakota Point Picnic Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Mountain City Picnic Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Dalton Lake Picnic Area |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Sheridan South Picnic Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Lake Shore Picnic Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Roubaix Picnic Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Cook Lake Picnic Site** |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Strawberry Recreation Area Day Use Area |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Steamboat Rock Recreation Area Picnic Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Sheridan South Boating Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Sheridan North Boating Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Pactola North Boating Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Pactola South Boating Site |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
Shoulder Season: Day Fee: |
|
Sundance Horse Camp |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $10 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Cook Lake Campground |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $10 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Reuter Campground |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $10 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Bearlodge Campground |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $10 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Bismark Lake Campground |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $10 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Redbank Spring Campground |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $10 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Sheridan Southside Campground |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $10 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Comanche Park Campground |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $10 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Iron Creek Horse Camp** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Willow Creek Horse Camp** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Oreville Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Beaver Creek Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Horsethief Lake Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Grizzly Bear Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Whitetail Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Black Fox Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Castle Peak Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Custer Trail Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Dutchman Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Ditch Creek Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Pactola Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Steamboat Rock |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Roubaix Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Timon Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Boxelder Forks Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Rod And Gun Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Hanna Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Strawberry Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Single Site Fee: $15 |
|
Bear Gulch Group Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Night Fee: $0 |
Shoulder Season: Night Fee: $100 |
|
Sheridan Group Campground** |
Shoulder Season: Night Fee: $0 Group size: 100 |
Shoulder Season: Night Fee: $100 |
** Concessionaire is currently charging a fee during the primary season; Forest is proposing to continue with a reduced fee into the shoulder season.
In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) which allows the Forest Service to retain funds collected at certain recreation sites and use these funds locally to operate, maintain, and improve the sites and related facilities. At least eighty percent of the revenue from recreation fees remains on the Forest to operate, maintain, and improve facilities. Raising the revenue collected through recreation fees will help the Forest improve infrastructure at campsites and day-use areas and hire additional recreation staff. The resources derived through collection of fees helps provide quality recreation opportunities that meet the modern expectations of visitors and creates a more financially sustainable developed recreation program for the benefit of future generations.
These fee changes will be reviewed by the Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board (NFAB) and the Wyoming Recreation Action Team (REACT) for those sites in Wyoming. Committee members represent a broad array of interest groups to help ensure that the Forest Service is proposing reasonable and publicly acceptable new fees and fee changes.
The Black Hills National Forest encourages the public to comment on the proposed fee changes to the developed recreation program. The comment period ends on November 29, 2024. To ensure that your comments are considered, please send your feedback no later than the above date to Black Hills National Forest, Attention: Bradley Block – Recreation Program Manager,1019 N 5th Street, Custer, SD 57730 or bradley.block@usda.gov. Comments can also be provided online athttps://arcg.is/qyij80.
Oral comments must be provided in person at the Black Hills National Forest to Bradley Block during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. MST) or by calling 605-673-9200 and indicating you would like to provide comments on the proposed recreation fee changes. For more information on the proposed project, visit the Forest website athttps://www.fs.usda.gov/blackhills.
Once public involvement is complete, the proposed fee changes will be reviewed by the Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board (NFAB) and the Wyoming Recreation Action Team (REACT), who will provide a recommendation for a final decision.