Shawnee National Forest to consider fees for Garden of the Gods, other areas

HARRISBURG - Declining budgets, overdue maintenance and increased use all are contributing to a Shawnee National Forest plan to charge a $5 daily use fee at Garden of the Gods and some other popular Forest Service recreation sites.

Laura Lecher, the forest's recreation manager, says said when the sun was blotted out briefly in August of 2017, it signaled an influx of tourism to the region that has continued. The increased number of people using the forest, though, has strained some existing sites, she said.

On Thursday, SNF announced that the Forest Service is proposing changes to recreational fees in some areas. Besides the Garden of the Gods Recreation Area's observation trail, home to Camel Rock, five other areas are under consideration for a $5 daily use fee per vehicle. Those are the swimming beach at Pounds Hollow Recreation Area in southwestern Gallatin County, the Bell Smith Springs Interpretive Site in northern Pope County, the boat launch at Johnson Creek Recreation Area on Kinkaid Lake in Jackson County, the Pomona boat launch at Cedar Lake in southern Jackson County and the Little Grand Canyon Trailhead in Jackson County.

In addition, the Forest Service also is proposing raising the camping fee from $10 per night to $15 at Pine Ridge Campground at Pounds Hollow Recreation area for campsites that include an electrical hookup. Nonelectric campsites would remain $10. Currently, Pine Ridge is the only Forest Service-managed campground in the Shawnee National Forest with electrical service.

According to Lecher, the cost has not been adjusted since electrical service was added in 2014.

An annual pass of $30, giving the holder unlimited use of those sites where day fees are being suggested, also is part of the proposal.

All new fee proposals will be presented before the Region 9 Recreation Resource Advisory Committee, a citizen's panel. The public is invited to attend and comment at all advisory committee meetings. The next expected meeting for the group will be in the spring of 2020. The exact time, date, place and agenda will be announced on the SNF website and through local media.

Initially, some people whose livelihood depends on visitors to Forest Service sites are not in favor of the proposed fee increases.

Elizabeth Canfarelli, who, with her husband Marty owns Garden of the Gods Outpost and Timber Ridge Outpost and Cabins, says she can hardly believe the Forest Service is considering charging people to access the observation trail area.

"I think it would have a very negative effect on tourism in this area," Canfarelli said. "One of the reasons our business is so successful is because we don't nickel and dime people to death."

But, increased tourism since 2017 is making it necessary for the Forest Service to find a way to pay for overdue maintenance at some of those locations and then improve them, with a long-term eye toward even more forest use, Lecher said.

She said fees for the day-use sites would be used to maintain and improve those sites specifically, which have much more infrastructure compared to other SNF sites.

"We have completed several significant projects at these sites in recent years, but the needs just keep growing, especially after the solar eclipse put southern Illinois and the Shawnee National Forest on the map in 2017," Lecher said. "These fee changes will help us provide quality recreation facilities to meet the growing demand."

According to the proposal, 95 percent of funds collected would be used to operate, maintain and improve the facilities and programs at those sites. Collectively, the six sites are projected to bring in about $120,000 more if the fee structure goes into effect, she said, cautioning that the figure is a "very rough estimate."

First, it would be used to fund maintenance that is overdue, she said. When those projects are completed, the money would be used to make site improvements that likely would attract more people to the forest.

"At Pounds Hollow, where we put in electrical service, we noticed an increase in use at those sites," she said. "Most people camping now prefer power and other amenities. They like to be able to charge their phone and have air conditioning."

Two campsite loops currently closed at Pounds Hollow could be reopened with electrical service added if the fee proposal is improved, she said, and that likely would attract additional campers.

Lecher also noted that fees at Forest Service sites, like some in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri and the Hoosier National Forest in Indiana, are already in place. At those locations, the fees make consistent maintenance and improvements possible.

In the Shawnee, Lecher said it is unlikely the Forest Service could have staff on hand to collect fees. An "honor box" system, by which a person would get a car tag and envelope, put money in the envelope and the tag on the dash of the car, is a more feasible alternative, she said.

The increased funding from a fee structure would make it more likely to have staff on hand at those sites during some weekday times.

"During our busy season, we try to have staff present to answer questions and interact with visitors on the weekends," Lecher said. "This might be able to help make it possible to have a person there part of the time during the week."

She said the fees are one solution to declining Forest Service budgets, with projections of leaner budgets in future years.

The Forest Service is inviting the public to comment on the proposed fee changes. Comments may be submitted by mail or hand delivery to Shawnee National Forest Supervisor's Office, 50 Highway 145 S, Harrisburg, IL 62946.

Comments also may be emailed to mailroom_r9_shawnee@fs.fed.us and should include "Recreation Fee Proposal" in the subject line. A comment form online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/shawnee also allows comments to be submitted.

The Forest Service also plans to host several open house meetings across southern Illinois in upcoming months for people to ask questions and provide input. Those dates will be shared when they are determined, and the Forest Service urges people to check the SNF website, Facebook and local newspaper for the announcements.

For more information or to provide comments about any of the new fee proposals, contact Lecher at (618) 253-7114.