USFS campground fees?

GordonThree wrote:
Touring several nearby forest service campgrounds lately, I noticed one had some newer signs with rather large print, stating that campers must pay the day-use fee in addition to their camping fee... almost doubling the cost of camping... this rustic campground charged $14/night for camping and $10/day for day-use... At $24/night that's only $3 less than a State park which has hot showers and electric at every site.

In past forest campgrounds I've stayed at, I've just paid the camping fee. I've never parked my vehicle in the day-use area (typically a trail head or boat launch). Also I don't own a boat and have never used the boat launch at a forest campground. I've never received a letter, call or visit from a ranger stating I've underpaid for my stay. The signage at past campgrounds led me to believe this was correct.

Has anyone noticed anything similar. Are folks typically paying both the camping fee and day-use fee? Is it something new, is it nation wide or up to individual ranger districts?

Wow. I've never experienced that.
I know that some national forests do charge for "enhanced amenity areas" such as swimming beaches, boat launches, etc. But I've never known a forest to charge for both camping and for enhanced amenity at the same time/place. Seems like double dipping for sure. I checked the websites for the Ottawa, Hiawatha, and Huron Manistee. It looks like the Huron Manistee does have enhanced amenity areas, but when I tried to find more info, I ended up at dead links or messages saying the website is undergoing problems. I suggest that you call the Supervisor's Office and ask to speak to the Recreation Program Manager and ask questions directly.

I am a retired USFS Recreation Program manager, and I've NEVER heard of a Forest double charging, but if they have it written on the sign, it seems like they are trying to do it. It seems plain wrong for them to do that.