Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico announced an increase in camping fees effective April 1 to help with the maintenance and facility improvement.
The fee adjustments will affect campgrounds within the Smokey Bear Ranger District, Sacramento Ranger District, and the Guadalupe Ranger District, which are popular destinations for campers seeking the natural beauty and tranquility of the forest.
“Revenue is reinvested into forest recreation sites in the form of trash pickups, septic and toilet pumping, painting, cleaning, addressing the backlog of deferred maintenance, conducting patrols, maintaining highly used trails, cabin, lookout rentals, campsites, and more,” Amanda Fry, public affairs officer at the Lincoln National Forest said in an Alamogordo Daily News report.
Oak Grove Campground in the Smokey Bear Ranger District will see its campsite fees rise from $6 to $10, while the cost for an extra vehicle will decrease from $6 to $5.
Other campgrounds will see similar adjustments. The Three Rivers Campground fee will increase from $6 to $15, and the South Fork Campground will adjust from $10 to $20, with a reduction in extra vehicle fees to $5.
In addition, the Sam Tobias Memorial Group Campground will now have a flat rate of $125, up from a previous range of $95 to $120, reflecting the varied costs of maintaining these larger group sites.
Meanwhile, the Cedar Creek and Schoolhouse Picnic Day-Use Areas will introduce a $5 fee. The Cedar Creek Group Picnic Day-Use Area will see its fee increase from $25 to $40, indicating a shift towards generating necessary revenue from all types of recreational use within the forest.
In the Guadalupe Ranger District, the Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Day-Use Area will adjust its single-vehicle day-use fee from $5 to $10, and the multi-passenger vehicle fee from $10 to $25.
Similarly, the Sacramento Ranger District’s Trestle Recreation Day-Use Area will introduce a new $5 fee, further aligning the forest’s fee structure with the actual costs of maintaining these popular sites.
By aligning fees with the costs of maintenance and improvement, the Forest Service aims to provide high-quality recreational experiences while preserving the natural beauty and ecological integrity.
For more information about the Lincoln National Forest, visitors can visit www.fs.usda.gov, or send questions to [email protected] or 575-270-2726.
It’s reasonable that the fee increase may be disheartening, but it helps maintain the forest for all to enjoy!
Isn’t it interesting how Lincoln National Forest is upping their game with these camping fee hikes? I’m all for it! It’s awesome to know that these changes will spruce up the campgrounds and make our visits even better. Can’t wait to see the improvements!