Tucson, Ariz., (July 14, 2022) – The Coronado National Forest is proposing to charge new fees at four developed recreation sites. These proposals would affect two recreation sites in the Safford Ranger District, and two cabins undergoing renovation in the Sierra Vista Ranger District.
“These proposals were crafted from conversations with campground users, volunteer camp hosts, and recreation personnel. In the Safford Ranger District, this would add two new day-use opportunities to those already existing day-use opportunities at Riggs Lake. Arcadia Campground would be added as a lower elevation day-use option and Lower Hospital Flat would be added as a mid-elevation option. We recognize how important these areas are to our local communities and those who use these sites and want to ensure they are maintained,” said George Garcia, Safford District Ranger.
Daisy Kinsey, Sierra Vista District Ranger shared, “The renovations currently underway at the historic Canelo Ranger Station Residence and Ranger Station Cabin will make staying at either of these historic cabins a comfortable and memorable experience for visitors. They are centrally located making visiting areas in the Canelo Hills, San Rafael Valley, the Huachuca Mountains, and the Patagonia Mountains very convenient. The new fees will help us maintain the quality of the cabins our visitors have come to expect in all our Rooms with a View.”
Proposed fees by site and Ranger District:
Lower Hospital Flat and Arcadia Campground recreation sites are located along the Swift Highway on Mount Graham.
The historic Canelo Ranger Residence and Canelo Ranger Office are located between Sonoita and Parker Canyon Lake. They are proposed for inclusion in the popular Rooms with a View program, joining eight other cabins on the Coronado National Forest. The buildings are part of a Depression-era administrative site and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Forest Service is completing a historic rehabilitation project to make them available to the public.
The proposed fees are consistent with others in the Coronado National Forest. The amounts are the result of a two-year public outreach effort to determine the balance between fees and recreation amenities and operations.
In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) which allows the Forest Service to retain funds collected. Ninety-five percent of the revenue from recreation fees remains within the forests to operate, maintain, and improve facilities. The resources derived through the collection of fees help provide quality recreation opportunities that meet modern expectations of visitors and create a more financially sustainable developed recreation program for the benefit of future generations.
Under REA, all new fees and any fee changes must be reviewed by a citizen’s Resource Advisory Committee (RAC). Committee members represent a broad array of recreation interest groups to help ensure that the Forest Service is proposing reasonable and publicly acceptable fee changes. Once reviewed by the RAC a recommendation will be submitted to the Regional Forester for a final decision.
To comment on the proposed fee changes to the developed recreation program, please reply with a postmarked letter no later than September 30, 2022, to Coronado National Forest, Attention: Lauren Atkinson, Assistant Recreation Staff Officer, 300 W Congress St, Tucson, AZ 85701 or via email at lauren.Atkinson@usda.gov. Oral comments may also be provided by calling (520) 388-8427 during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.). For more information on the proposed project, visit our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r3/recreation?cid=FSEPRD684790.
