The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest’s Bridgeport Ranger District is asking for public comment on a proposal to increase the Hoover Wilderness permit fee for overnight trips on specific high-use trailheads.
This fee increase will provide direct funding to aid in the stewardship of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest portion of the Hoover Wilderness and make it more consistent to what other land management agencies charge for overnight use of wilderness areas in the Sierra Nevada Range.
“We recognize how important the Hoover Wilderness is to our local communities and to those who travel great distances to visit this wilderness area,” said Nate Bech, Bridgeport Ranger District Recreation Staff Officer. “Public participation is a critical part of our evaluation of the fee proposal, and we encourage people to provide their thoughts and ideas about this proposal.”
Under the proposal, an overnight permit will increase from $3 to $12 per person per trip for users entering the following quota restricted trailheads: Buckeye Creek; Green Creek; Horse Creek; Leavitt Meadows, Little Slide Canyon, Robinson Creek, and Virginia Creek. Permits for children ages 12 and under would be free under the proposal if approved.
“It may seem like a big fee increase, but the original fee has not been changed in two decades,” said Bech.
The proposed fee price is based on a market analysis of similar opportunities within the State of California.
The fee will only apply to overnight trips during the high-use quota season, which currently begins June 15 and runs through October 15.
Recreation.gov charges an additional $6.00 reservations fee for each permit.
“Fees would fund restoration of heavily damaged areas, increase ranger presence, increase public education, improve trail access, and expansion of the wildlife safety program,” added Bech. “If approved, the fee increase would go into effect in 2023.”
Comments can be mailed to Bridgeport Ranger District, Recreation Staff Officer Nate Bech, P.O. Box 1000, Bridgeport, CA 93517 or hand-deliver to the Bridgeport Ranger District at 75694 US-395, Bridgeport, California, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on federal holidays.
Electronic comments must be submitted in a format such as an email message, pdf, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), or Word (.doc) to: SM.FS.HTNFwildfee@usda.gov. Please put “Hoover Wilderness Permit Increase Fee Proposal” in the subject line. Comments need to be received by Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022.
First established as a ‘primitive area” in 1931, then a wild area in 1957, the Hoover Wilderness was one of the original members of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
It is a spectacular piece of California’s Sierra Nevada Range, bordering Yosemite National Park and is known for its mountainous terrain, glistening alpine lakes, and lush meadows.
This wilderness area is managed by both the Humboldt-Toiyabe and Inyo National Forests.
The overnight permit fee was established in the late 1990s and has not been updated since. The Bridgeport Ranger District maintains and patrols roughly 134 miles of trails within the Hoover Wilderness.
Over 10,400 overnight users with permits visited this wilderness area in 2021, with an average stay of 3.75 nights.
For more information on this project please contact Nate Bech at nathaniel.bech@usda.go or check out these frequently asked questions.