Changes could be made to popular recreation areas in the Daniel Boone National Forest. Officials are considering implementing fees for locations in the forest and are asking for comments from the public.
If approved, 22 locations would charge $5 per day, $7 for three days, or $50 annually. Those areas include Sky Bridge, Indian Creek, and day-use sites at Red River Gorge. Recreation locations around Cave Run Lake are not included in the current plan.
Mary O’Malley is a Public Affairs Specialist with the Forest Service. She said funds collected from the fees will be reinvested into recreation areas.
“These fees cover the ongoing maintenance, ongoing operations. They also help us address deferred maintenance. So, these are larger projects that you can’t just pick away at, it’s something you need to have the funds to complete,” said O’Malley.
O’Malley said the agency made many considerations for their first draft of the proposal.
“These are just proposals. We think that this is going to help us get to where we need to be. But we have to balance the needs of maintenance of our locations, of protecting our natural resources with the user experience,” O’Malley said.
After comments are gathered from the public, the proposal will undergo a review by a Resource Advisory Committee made up of members who are unaffiliated with the Forest Service. Officials said the review could lead to a change in the pricing or locations fees will be charged.
The final draft of the proposal will be implemented on January 1, 2025, at the earliest.