USFS campground fees?

avoidcrowds wrote:
To SDcampowneroperator, one does not need to stay in the same spot for 14 days to incur 30 days of the additional $6/day. We could move around and stay in different areas, so your comment of the 14-day max is irrelevant.

You do point out that there is an annual use-fee pass for $18. I can assume, then, that if I have that pass, I could stay all year, and only pay the camping fees in various parks, and not pay the additional use-fee? Yes

I agree with Monkey44, tell me the entire fee to camp, not just part of the fee. Campgrounds are not alone in this misinformation tactic, it happens all over. Tell me the all-in price, including tax, when I ask how much it costs to stay somewhere.

Sd State parks visitor use passes are variable $ in daily, weekly, annual.
A pass is all inclusive of all facility and amenity, such as boat launching limited to its expiry date. There are no additional charges for use of faciliity if you have a valid use pass.
Camping fees are additional to entry and use fees and vary by park amenity and facility. These fees are set by state statute (ARSD sec. 41) as determined by our Game Fish & Parks commission in public hearings, are set to match cost.
By law, our public parks cannot profit, or cost our state. They are self funded non profit or loss entities with fees established to match those operating costs.

rjxj wrote:
Maybe it means the Michigan "Passport" which is $11.00 for the season. Passport is required in addition to any camp fees.

More money

Yes, but MIs passport is just once for the season not a daily fee,

Secondly this OP was regarding NATIONAL FS campgrounds. I just use the Sr passport and pay half the posted fee or is the "Golden Eagle" for everyone?

Just read other posts and many commented about MI fee.

Colorado has some very nice campgrounds and price then well for Sr citizens--RESIDENTS-Sun or Mon thru Thurs --1/2 price- or was 4 yrs ago.

How about the commercials that want 12-15 bucks for electricity?? My slide in aint no motor home w/ dual 50 amp ACs on the roof. I don't hang several sets of Christmas lights to use all the power. Once in Dodge City the site had an electric meter. ALMOST one KW was my use...

To SDcampowneroperator, one does not need to stay in the same spot for 14 days to incur 30 days of the additional $6/day. We could move around and stay in different areas, so your comment of the 14-day max is irrelevant.

You do point out that there is an annual use-fee pass for $18. I can assume, then, that if I have that pass, I could stay all year, and only pay the camping fees in various parks, and not pay the additional use-fee?

I agree with Monkey44, tell me the entire fee to camp, not just part of the fee. Campgrounds are not alone in this misinformation tactic, it happens all over. Tell me the all-in price, including tax, when I ask how much it costs to stay somewhere.

"meaning no special discounts for anyone that others pay higher for to subsidize the discounted."

I'll refer you to the comment about resident veterans you must have missed.
I camp everywhere in the country - your comment about your SD campgrounds are better than others - therefore is worth extra day-use fees, does not hold water. SD has some nice CG's, but not "better" ...

That's 0-2 4U ... I'll leave this one now ... as a CG owner, we'll not see eye to eye on extra fees unless you open yours a bit wider and look around at other states. SD charged me for a boat fee too, and I didn't bring a boat. If your a user-pay, then charge me for what I use - period. And when we call from out of state, and you tell me CG fee is $24, and when I arrive, add a day-use fee, that makes it $30 ??? I'll more than likely camp in SD again - I would like to see it do the fees a bit different in the cases I mentioned.

monkey44 wrote:

SDcampowneroperator wrote:

monkey44 wrote:
Not sure about national forests - but we had a 'day-use boat fee' PLUS camp fees on EACH DAY in one of the South Dakota state parks. We had no boat, came in only to stay the night, and leave the next day traveling.

Needless to say, we traveled fairly quickly out of South Dakota -- we also noticed the COE camp about a half mile away was full. The SD state park had about sixty sites, only seven campers. We had no trouble figuring out why.

State parks that add day-use fees to camping sites are shooting themselves in both feet.

.
All South Dakota State Parks require an entry pass for use of the facility, whether a daily, weekly or annual. The usage pass and camping fees are higher for Custer State Park. but you get more, so you pay more.
Camping fees in SD State Parks are in addition to use fees, appropriately so. Our state is a 'user pay' state, so public users pay proportionately for that service and location.
SD State Parks are reknowned, even unequalled (even with Oregon? ) for value and quality.

Your camping fees are already higher than many states, then use fee on top. Either charge me a use fee, or a camp fee - not both every day. And, I've been camping all over this country for a lot of years - SD cg's are no better that many states that don't charge it. Texas, Oregon, Florida, Mass, to name a few.

SD gives a DAV discount to vets too, ONLY if state resident. Not to this DAV - and I don't recall excluding SD from my military protective activities when I was in the Navy.

I see why you're defending this - a SD camp owner - you will certainly see this differently than a camper or a veteran for that matter. But we didn't see anything special or unique in SD CGs that we can't find many other places without that added fee for campers.

Can't compare SD to Oregon -- Oregon gives every DAV - not just resident vets - ten days FREE camping every month. No state matches that generosity. And maybe not all should, but Oregon does it.

Not trying to wrassle you, just comparing apples to apples in different states and the way each charge fees. And SD at $6 day use fee is $180 a month extra. Don't expect long-term visits at that extra cost.

. An annual SD parks use pass is $ 18., higher for Custer State Park. SD parks do not allow long term use; there is a 14 day stay limit for a unit on any site. As I stated before, SD is a user pay state, meaning no special discounts for anyone that others pay higher for to subsidize the discounted. Our State parks are operationally self funded with no general fund monies .

Sigh.

SDcampowneroperator wrote:

monkey44 wrote:
Not sure about national forests - but we had a 'day-use boat fee' PLUS camp fees on EACH DAY in one of the South Dakota state parks. We had no boat, came in only to stay the night, and leave the next day traveling.

Needless to say, we traveled fairly quickly out of South Dakota -- we also noticed the COE camp about a half mile away was full. The SD state park had about sixty sites, only seven campers. We had no trouble figuring out why.

State parks that add day-use fees to camping sites are shooting themselves in both feet.

.
All South Dakota State Parks require an entry pass for use of the facility, whether a daily, weekly or annual. The usage pass and camping fees are higher for Custer State Park. but you get more, so you pay more.
Camping fees in SD State Parks are in addition to use fees, appropriately so. Our state is a 'user pay' state, so public users pay proportionately for that service and location.
SD State Parks are reknowned, even unequalled (even with Oregon? ) for value and quality.

Your camping fees are already higher than many states, then use fee on top. Either charge me a use fee, or a camp fee - not both every day. And, I've been camping all over this country for a lot of years - SD cg's are no better that many states that don't charge it. Texas, Oregon, Florida, Mass, to name a few.

SD gives a DAV discount to vets too, ONLY if state resident. Not to this DAV - and I don't recall excluding SD from my military protective activities when I was in the Navy.

I see why you're defending this - a SD camp owner - you will certainly see this differently than a camper or a veteran for that matter. But we didn't see anything special or unique in SD CGs that we can't find many other places without that added fee for campers.

Can't compare SD to Oregon -- Oregon gives every DAV - not just resident vets - ten days FREE camping every month. No state matches that generosity. And maybe not all should, but Oregon does it.

Not trying to wrassle you, just comparing apples to apples in different states and the way each charge fees. And SD at $6 day use fee is $180 a month extra. Don't expect long-term visits at that extra cost.

Which forest service campgrounds?

The only place I had to purchase a pass in the last two years was Sleeping Bear Dunes and that was $10 for the week or $20 for the year.

My visits to NF campgrounds along the Au Sable showed a use fee sign, but where we were at Sawmill Point it was included in the camping fee, from what I was told.

We were also traveling to many spots along the Pictured Rocks and never needed a pass, nor did I see any signage saying Fee Area. I am confused by the entire setup and never certain if I'll need it or not.

Must be a state thing.Twice this summer I have camped at the Grand Canyon.
The campground was full and I camped at the Kaibab nat forest for free.
it was dispersed camping but no charge whatsoever.
the next time I camped at The Desert View campground for $6.
Ariz state campgrounds waive the entrance fee if you use the campground.

I prefer NFS CG's over the others and have been using them since 1969. The only thing that I have seen is a charge for an extra car of $5/day at your campsite and a charge of $3/day for trail head parking. You can use your senior pass at the trail heads. Is this day use charge only in Michigan?

monkey44 wrote:
Not sure about national forests - but we had a 'day-use boat fee' PLUS camp fees on EACH DAY in one of the South Dakota state parks. We had no boat, came in only to stay the night, and leave the next day traveling.

Needless to say, we traveled fairly quickly out of South Dakota -- we also noticed the COE camp about a half mile away was full. The SD state park had about sixty sites, only seven campers. We had no trouble figuring out why.

State parks that add day-use fees to camping sites are shooting themselves in both feet.

.
All South Dakota State Parks require an entry pass for use of the facility, whether a daily, weekly or annual. The usage pass and camping fees are higher for Custer State Park. but you get more, so you pay more.
Camping fees in SD State Parks are in addition to use fees, appropriately so. Our state is a 'user pay' state, so public users pay proportionately for that service and location.
SD State Parks are reknowned, even unequalled (even with Oregon? ) for value and quality.