IPNF proposes addition of Beaver Creek Cabin and Spyglass Ground House to rental program

COEUR d’ALENE — The Idaho Panhandle National Forests is interested in receiving your comments on a proposal to increase the fees at 11 campgrounds/group sites, 10 cabin and lookout rentals, the Emerald Creek Garnet site, and the Upper Landing RV dump station. Additionally, the Forest proposes to implement a new fees at 19 campgrounds/group sites, two cabin and lookout rentals, an RV dump station, and a day use boating site.

This proposal would also enable the Beaver Creek Cabin and Spyglass Ground House to be available for public rental, adding to the Forest’s popular recreation rental program.

In addition, the proposal would add new fees at several sites across the Forest, and bring several additional existing fee campgrounds, group sites and cabin/lookout rentals into alignment with other sites offering similar benefits and services. As part of a Region-wide effort, these fee changes are being proposed to support the Forest’s ability to continue providing high levels of service to visitors at popular recreation sites. The Forest has invested in items such as potable water, increased recreation site capacity and amenities at campgrounds, improved toilet facilities, and new picnic tables and other infrastructure. Reasonable fees, paid by users of these sites and services, will help ensure that the Forest can continue maintaining and improving the sites for future generations. Many existing campgrounds and cabin/lookout rentals are not being proposed for a fee increase or new fees.

The proposal will help the Forest achieve more consistent pricing for fee sites with similar levels of amenities and capacity and providing high-quality recreation experiences. For instance, campgrounds featuring major services such as water, garbage, and on-site hosts are proposed at $15 per night- which is in line with the current market. Boat-in campsites that offer extraordinary recreation opportunities and provide many amenities to visitors at the campsites and at the Kalispell Bay Boat Launch on Priest Lake, are also being proposed at $15 per night. Sites with fewer amenities are being proposed at $10 per night. The same pricing strategy is being applied to cabin/lookout rentals.

Specifically, the Idaho Panhandle National Forests is proposing the following new fees:

· Beaver Creek Cabin, St. Joe Ranger District; proposed fee of $55 per night;

· Spyglass Ground House, Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District; proposed fee of $45 per night;

· Big Creek, Camp 3, Line Creek Stock Camp, Packsaddle, and Telichpah campgrounds, St. Joe Ranger District; proposed fee of $10 per night, with an additional $5 extra vehicle fee per night for more than two vehicles;

· Conrad Crossing, Fly Flat, Mammoth Springs, and Spruce Tree campgrounds; proposed fee of $15 per night, with an additional $5 extra vehicle fee per night for more than two vehicles;

· Bottle Bay, Geisinger, Navigation, Plowboy, Teacher Bay, Trapper, and Tule Bay Boat-in campgrounds on Priest Lake; proposed fee of $15 per night;

· Green Bay and Whiskey Rock boat-in campgrounds on Pend Oreille Lake; proposed fee of $15 per night;

· Reynolds Creek Group Site Camp Area; proposed fee of $50 per night;

· Shadowy St. Joe Day Use Boating site; proposed fee of $5 per vehicle, per day;

· Priest Lake Information Site (RV Dump Station); proposed fee of $10 per use.

The following sites are being proposed for fee increases:

CABIN & LOOKOUT RENTALS-

· Arid Peak, Deer Ridge, Lunch Peak, and Shorty Peak Lookout rentals – fee increase from $25 to $45 per night;

· Little Guard and Surveyor’s Peak Lookout rentals – fee increase from $35 to $55 per night;

· Avery Creek Cabin - fee increase from $60 to $120 per night;

· Magee Cabin - fee increase from $55 to $100 per night;

· Red Ives Cabin – fee increase from $60 to $100 per night;

· Snyder Guard Station - fee increase from $110 to $150 per night.

DAY USE SITES-

· Emerald Creek Garnet site – fee increase from $10 to $15 per person, per day for ages 13 and over. Children ages 6-12 will remain at $5 per person, per day, and kids under 6 are free.;

· Shadowy St. Joe Group Picnic Pavilion – fee increase from $25 to $35 per day;

· Upper Landing RV Dump Station – fee increase from $3 to $10 per use. This site is currently not operational; however, if fee increase is approved, upgrades will be made and re-opened for public use.

CAMPGROUNDS-

· Bartoo Island and Kalispell Island boat-in campgrounds – fee increase from $10 to $15 per night.

In addition to the proposed fees stated below, an extra vehicle fee of $5 per vehicle, for more than two vehicles that are not trailered, is being proposed for the following sites:

· Cooper Creek, Meadow Creek, Tin Can, and Turner Flat Campgrounds – fee increase from $6 to $15 per night; Robinson Lake Campground fee increase from $8 to $15 per night. The fee at these sites will be lowered to $12 per night when drinking water is not available;

· Cedar Creek Campground – fee increase from $6 to $10 per night;

· Emerald Creek Campground – fee increase from $6 to $15 per night;

· Shadowy St. Joe Campground – fee increase from $6 to $20 per night.

All of the recreation rental (cabins and lookouts) and the Shadowy St. Joe Group Picnic Pavilion sites listed above are, or will be, available for advance reservations through www.recreation.gov. All campgrounds and day-use sites are available on a first-come, first served basis; however, several other campgrounds that are not part of this proposal are available for advance reservations through Recreation.gov.

In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act which allows the Forest Service to retain 80-95 percent of fees collected at certain recreation sites and use these funds locally to operate and maintain and improve these sites. An analysis of surrounding recreation sites with similar amenities indicates that the proposed fees are comparable and reasonable. Once public involvement is complete, this proposal and public comments will be presented to the Coeur d’Alene Bureau of Land Management Recreation Resource Advisory Council (RAC) prior to a final decision and implementation.

Submit comments about this fee proposal by January 14, 2018. For more information, questions or to provide comments about any of these fee change proposals, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/r1recfee or contact Josh Jurgensen at (208) 765-7214. You can mail comments to: Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Attn; Rec Fee Proposal, 3815 Schreiber Way, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815 or email comments to r1recfee@fs.fed.us.