Forest Service to Raise Camping, Day-use Fees at Recreation Areas

November 30, 2018 - Fees at some National Forest recreation areas will increase Jan. 1, according to Forest Supervisor Eddie Taylor. The last increase for most sites in Texas was in 2003.

“The changes will help to ensure fees are more comparable to similar public and private sites in the area, be consistent with inflationary costs, and help defray rising maintenance and operation costs,” Taylor said. 

Fee changes include:

Sam Houston National Forest

  • Cagle Recreation Area camping: $30 a night per site; currently $27

Davy Crockett National Forest

  • Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area swim area: $5 a day per vehicle; currently $3

Angelina National Forest

  • Boykin Springs Recreation Area camping: $10 a night per site; currently $6
  • Caney Creek Recreation Area boat launch: $5 a day per vehicle; currently $3

Notices of the fee increases will be posted in each recreation area.

The Interagency (Access, Senior) Passes and Golden (Access, Senior) Passports will be honored at standard day-use locations. Senior and Access passes offer a 50 percent discount on all single occupancy campsites, boat launch sites and swimming areas.

Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act in 2008 which allows the Forest Service to keep 80-95 percent of fees collected at recreation sites to operate, maintain and improve the sites.