New
Recreation Fees Start
for North Carolina Nation Forests
Some popular national forest recreation areas in
North Carolina will get a helping hand, thanks to a
new fee system. Several developed recreation sites on
the National Forests in North Carolina will charge
fees for the first time starting this spring as part
of a nationwide three-year pilot program. Fee
collection began March 28 at some sites and will be
phased in at others as the season progresses.
In the past, most national forest recreation fees
were returned to the U.S. Treasury and the Forest
Service has struggled to keep up with maintenance and
repairs. This year, for the first time, most fees
collected at pilot sites will remain at these areas
for repairs and improvements....
While more than 1,500 miles of forest trails and
all hiking across the National Forests in North
Carolina will remain free, the popular trail network
at Tsali Recreation Area has a fee for horses and
bikes....
During the three-year pilot program, the Forest
Service will monitor customer satisfaction at these
sites and make changes if needed. At the end of the
three-years, the Forest Service will then make
recommendations to Congress about whether the
recreation fee program should be made permanent,
modified or discontinued.
For additional information on fees contact the
U.S. Department
of Agriculture
Forest Service
Cheoah Ranger District
Route 1, Box 16-A
Robbinsville, North Carolina 28771
For
current fee schedule: Contact the district
office at the above address or call 828-479-6431 or FAX 828-479-6784.
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