January 24, 2024

The Lincoln National Forest (LNF) is increasing camping fees at four developed campgrounds, decreasing extra vehicle fees at two campgrounds, and increasing a daily shelter reservation fee for the Cedar Creek Group picnic area. The forest is also adding a standard amenity recreation fee to three day-use areas and increasing fees for the Sam Tobias Memorial Group Campground.

Increasing costs of maintenance and other requirements are driving the need for the USDA Forest Service to create new or increase fees at Lincoln National Forest’s developed recreation sites and will take effect on April 1, 2024.

The following locations will have an increase/decrease in fees:

Smokey Bear Ranger District:

• Oak Grove Campground

Increasing from $6.00/site to $10.00/site

Extra Vehicle decreasing from $6.00/car to $5.00/car

• Three Rivers Campground

Increasing from $6.00/site to $15.00/site

• South Fork Campground

Increasing from $10/site to $20.00/site

Extra Vehicle decreasing from $10.00/car to $5.00/car

• Sam Tobias Memorial Group Campground

Increasing from $95.00-$120.00 to $125.00/event

• Cedar Creek Picnic Day Use Area

Increasing from $0/day to $5.00/day

• Schoolhouse Picnic Day Use Area

Increasing from $0/day to $5.00/day

• Cedar Creek Group Picnic Day Use Area

Increasing from $25.00/event to $40.00/event

Sacramento Ranger District

• Trestle Recreation Day Use Area

Increasing from $0/day to $5.00/day

Guadalupe Ranger District

• Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Day Use Area

Single Vehicle Day Use increasing from $5.00/car to $10.00/car

Multi-passenger vehicle changing from $10.00/car to $25.00/car

A complete list of fee areas can be found on the Lincoln National Forest webpage at www.fs.usda.gov/recmain/lincoln/recreation.

In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act which allows the Forest Service to retain 95% of revenue collected at recreation sites and use these funds locally to operate and maintain and improve these sites. 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.