(Fremont County, WY) — Increasing costs of maintenance and other requirements are driving the need for the USDA Forest Service to create new and increase fees at Shoshone National Forest developed recreation sites. New and increased fees will take effect on July 1, 2024. This is the culmination of a thorough two-year public participation process.
In total the forest is increasing the fee at twenty-six previously developed fee sites and offering twelve new campgrounds to the public. These twelve new sites will help to sustain the use in some high-use areas by offering a more developed camping experience complete with restroom facilities, fire rings, picnic tables, designated parking and camping areas, and more. Thank for all the participated and provided their input throughout this process.
For all visitors who have reserved a campsite through recreation.gov after July 1 those fees will not change. Only new reservations made after July 1 will be subject to the new fee structure. The Shoshone National Forest Website will reflect these fee changes on July 1.
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.