By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
The Forest Service announced December 5th that the Monongahela National Forest will be creating new and increasing fees for several developed sites. The fees are targeted towards maintenance and enhancing visitor experience. The fees are scheduled to take effect January 1, 2026, according to the Forest Service.
The fee changes incorporated public comments, level of amenities, services provided, cost of operations and market assessments, according to the Forest Service. The changes were approved by the West Virginia Recreation Resource Advisory (Recreation RAC) Committee and the Eastern Regional Forester, the Forest Service said.
Fee programs provide a source of funding to assist in maintaining and enhancing high quality recreation sites, according to the Forest Service. The fees go back into the forest to improve public access, safety and experience. The Forest Service said that visitors are expected to see improvements in 14 developed campgrounds, two cabin site and three day use/picnic areas.
Under the 2004 Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the Forest Service is allowed to retain 95% of revenue collected at recreation sites and use the funds locally to operate, maintain and improve sites, according to the Forest Service. The funds reinvested into the recreation sites will be used for extra trash pickups at highly visited river campsites including Stonecoal, Williams River, and Cranberry River sites during peak angling season, septic and toilet pumping, painting, renovation of campsites to improve access for all users through installation of ADA accessible amenities, and improving surfacing of camping spurs and paths, enhancing patrols at highly visited fee sites such as Lake Sherwood and Red Creek to increase fee compliance and visitor safety, maintaining highly used trails, cabin/lookout rentals, campsites, and more the Forest Service said.
The following list of fees have been approved:
Bear Heaven Campground
• Single Site Fee: $10
Cranberry Campground
• Single Site Fee: $15
• Double Site Fee: $30
Williams River RUA Campground (Gauley RD)
• Single Site Fee: $10
• Double Site Fee: $20
Cranberry Mountain Nature Center, Group Picnic Site
• Day Fee: $50 rate per group, Size: 75
Summit Lake Reservoir/Fishing Site; Group Picnic Site
• Day Fee: $50 rate per group, Size: 75
Summit Lake Campground
• Single Site Fee: $15
Cranberry RUA Campground
• Single Site Fee: $10
• Double Site Fee: $20
Red Oak Lookout
• Night Fee: $100, Group size: 10
Middle Mountain Cabins
• Night Fee: $100, Group size: 10
Island Campground
• Single Site Fee: $15
Laurel Fork Campground
• Single Site Fee: $15
• Double Site Fee: $30
Stonecoal Campground
• Single Site Fee: $15
Day Run Campground
• Single Site Fee: $15
Tea Creek Campground
• Single Site Fee: $15
Williams River RUA Campground (Marlinton RD)
• Single Site Fee: $10
Red Creek Campground
• Single Site Fee: $20
Lake Sherwood Campground
• Single Site Fee: $25
• Double Site Fee: $50
• Site w/ Electric Fee: $35
• Tent Only Fee: $20
Lake Sherwood Beach Swimming Site
• Day Fee: $8 rate per vehicle
Blue Bend Campground
• Single Site Fee: $20
• Double Site Fee: $50
• Site w/ Electric Fee: $30
