July 2024

The Boise National Forest is seeking public comments on increased fees for campgrounds, rental cabins and day use areas.There are 18 sites on the Cascade Ranger District that would see new or increased fees and 64 total sites across the Boise Forest.Fees in most campgrounds would increase by $5 to $10, while fees for cabins would increase by up to $80.The proposed fees are needed to maintain, repair, improve and expand the increasingly popular recreation sites, according to the Forest Service.Fees would be used to add campsites, expand spurs to accommodate modern-sized camp trailers, and install toilets and picnic tables that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.If approved, the fees would go into effect in 2025.“The forest has seen a substantial increase in recreational use as the area’s population has grown and with that, the need for upkeep and improving our developed recreation sites,” said Boise Forest Supervisor Brant Petersen.“It’s been 26 years since we last increased fees on our campgrounds and rental cabins,” Petersen said.For a complete list of proposed fee changes, visit www.fs.usda.gov/boise and select “News & Events” in the “about us” menu.If the fees are adopted, about 70% of the Boise Forest’s developed recreation sites would continue to not charge a fee, Petersen said.Comments can be made through Sept.