Forest Service Camping discounts shrinking

[earthdancer]

I just got this heads up from my camping friend, Emily Ogle or Nomad Woman as she is known on the Casita Forum. Seems the Forest Service folks are considering reducing the 50% discount for handicapped and senior citizens to 10%! Read on below

 

 

 

 

The Forest Service is proposing to reduce the discount provided to seniors and disabled citizens from 50% to 10% at Nat'l Forest Campgrounds.

 

Go to this site and submit your comment but please be polite and respectful in doing so. You may also contact your state elected officials and let them know your opinion of this proposed change.

 

Here is the link to the official notice. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-28744.htm

 

There is a direct link to the comment page in the document. Or use this link:

http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/ ... 6480a60f36

 

Added comment: If a campground fee is $16, with 50% discount, we would pay $8 as it is now. But if it goes to 10%, we would only get $1.60 off or we would have to pay $14.40.

 

I am AGAINST it for sure. It is to reduce the discount, not reduce the fee. I have sent them my reply: Please do not let them do this!

 

This post has been edited by DesertHawk: Yesterday, 12:32 PM

 

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DesertHawk * Las Cruces, New Mexico USA

2005 Scamp 16' SD - 2009 White Ford F-150 Reg Cab (Retired the '03 Ford Ranger)

http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/ll12 ... on=reverse

CampingPosts

[dougi]

This is bad news for us because we rely heavily on these discounts for our RV trips. We seek out Federal lands campsites in order to reduce our camping fees compared to other camp site alternatives.

 

Hopefully, the discounts will not be reduced to 10%, but to something closer to the current 50% discount. In recent years, the 50% discount has been removed entirely from the electricity charge, which is reasonable, especially for a 50 amp RV that uses a lot of electricity.

 

What we need to do is express our opinions and encourage the discount to remain at or near the current 50%. We camp in very small RV's and pay the same rates as the huge RV's that require far more real estate and power to accommodate. Maybe some smaller camp sites, without hookups, could remain available at low cost for campers like ours that are under 20 feet.

[technomadia]

Even at full price.. federal campgrounds tend to be significantly cheaper than other alternatives. We don't qualify for any of the current discounts, and still favor public campgrounds for both the lower costs and generally more scenic and peaceful surroundings.

 

There's always the option on most federal forest and BLM lands to stay for free if you don't mind boondocking in undesignated areas (and don't need hookups of any sort.)

 

That said, this proposed change will affect a lot folks who currently qualify for the discount and who depend on it to make their lives affordable. 50% to 10% is a steep increase in cost for those currently budgeting otherwise, especially for those part and/or full timing on the road. Seems a lot of public campgrounds are trying to survive the economy by increasing fees - such as state parks across the country. Some of California's state parks are more costly now than private campgrounds, and they generally don't even offer hookups.

 

We're all in favor of charges based on actual consumption of resources as opposed to flat fees for a 13' trailer or a 40' bus. We'd also love to see an annual pass of sorts that anyone could purchase for discounted and/or free camping at federal campgrounds.

 

- Cherie

[DCKiefer]

Figures, I have to wait until I'm 67 to get full social security, if it will even be there and now you took away the only other thing I was looking forward to.

[SeaDawg]

Just to clarify things, this change in discount is at the request of the concessionaires who operate a large number of the USFS campgrounds under long term contracts. The change would only affect those USFS campgrounds run by concessionaires, at least at this time. Campgrounds operated directly by the USFS would still offer the 50% discount.

Sherry

[SeaDawg]

After receipt of thousands of negative comments, the Forest Service decided to not change the present discount levels:

http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/id ... d/C41/L41/

 

The full press release from the USFS is at the bottom of this article.

 

Sherry

[earthdancer]

HOOOOORRRRAAAAAYYYYYY!!!! The voice of the people was heard!!!!

[SeaDawg]

Articles I've read mentioned 4,000 people sent emails or letters..... In the grand scheme of things, that's not many (not nearly as many to the NFS as the number of posts I've read on various boards, I think!), but it was apparently enough, I guess.

 

Sherry