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Show Feasibility of Making National Forest Camp Areas Self-Subsisting Undergoes Study Further study is being made of possibilities to make National Forest campgrounds and recreation recrea-tion areas " self-subsisting" according ac-cording to A. G. Nord, assistant regional forester for recreation and lands in the intermountain region of the Forest Service. In 1953 the study included trial charges for use on 17 of the 624 improved intermountain National Na-tional Forest recreation areas. Among those selected were Warm Springs Plunge, Boise National Forest; Minnetonka Cave, Cache National Forest, and the Box-elder Box-elder and Storm Mountain group picnic areas on the Wasatch National Na-tional Forest. Local Concessions Areas on the national forests operated by local concessionaires were: McWilllams Forest Camp on the Nevada; South Fork Picnic 1 Area on the Cache; Navajo Lake, , Spruces and Duck Creek campgrounds camp-grounds on the Dixie; Granite Creek Campground and Picnic Area, Hoback Campground, and I Granite Creek Pool on the Teton; Redfish Point Campground on the Sawtooth; Buffalo and Flat Rock Campgrounds on the Targhee, and Mirror Lake Campground on the Wasatch. The Nevada Beach Campground, Camp-ground, Toiyabae National Forest, For-est, was operated by Douglas County, Nev. It was stated that only the larger areas improved for public recreation can economically be placed on a charge for-use basis. National Forest supervisors are now seeking local cooperative effort ef-fort which will help the selected ' forest recreation areas "pay their own way in 1954," Mr. Nord said. Expenses Listed According to a financial re- I port 34 concessionaire-operated I j national forest campgrounds nationwide na-tionwide in 1953 yielded total re- ceipts of $86,701. Operating ex-: ex-: penses for collecting, cleanups, and maintenance were $72,805 leaving a net profit" of $1SK2J for the concessionaires. Same were permitted to operate stores, rent boats, check clothing' and provide other services which helped make their operation of the whole project profitable. Ttue concessionaires registered 46277 visits to the, 34 national forest areas under Study. I Charges were made at a total, of 54 recreation areas on the national na-tional forests nationwide in 1353b. . Besides the 34 operated by eon-, cessionaries, three were operated, by the Forest Service, and charges were made for special features on 17 areas where use was free except for swimming,, bath house facilities, clothes checking, amphitheatre, and' overnight camping. Mr. Nord pointed out that charging is not the full solution to the problem of maintaining . and operating recreation areas. , He said the charge experiment ; has helped keep some of itxc most frequented national forest camprounds up to sanitation and maintenance standards so that, the public can continue to enjoy. the outdoor recreational opportunities opportu-nities on their national forests. ., Nearly 5,000,000 visits were made to the recreation areas of of the intermountain national forestsf in 1953. |
