Logan • Popular recreation areas that were once free to access will now cost adventurers looking to get into the mountains outside Logan.
As of Sunday, several trailheads in the Logan Ranger District of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest began charging a fee, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Lower Green Canyon trailhead, Sinks winter trailhead, Smithfield Canyon and Tony Grove winter trailhead will now require a Forest Pass.
A three-day pass costs $10, a seven-day pass costs $20 and an annual pass costs $60. Interagency passes will be honored.
The new expenses are part of a larger overhaul of fees across the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, which covers 2.2 million acres and has more than a hundred recreational sites requiring maintenance, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Some sites, however, will see decreased fees, while others will become free to access.
With recent population growth in the area, the forest is seeing increased demand for amenities and recreational opportunities. The Forest Service says increasing traffic has begun affecting the visitor experience and is hindering the agency’s capacity to manage recreation programs.
Public feedback helped shape the fee changes, which were determined based on amenities, operational costs, and market assessments, the Forest Service said. The revenue, retained locally under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, will be reinvested in improvements such as trash removal, restroom maintenance, trail upkeep, and addressing deferred maintenance needs.
For more information and a complete list of affected sites, visit the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest website, fs.usda.gov/uwcnf.
