Woody Gap parking fees proposed by Forest Service

The United States Forest Service recently outlined a proposal to increase existing fees to use its federal recreation sites, as well as to add brand new fees at previously free sites throughout the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest region.
One of the potential changes that could impact Lumpkin County residents is a $5 per day parking fee at the Woody Gap Recreation Area trailhead. Previously there was no charge to park at the site.
The popular recreation area, located on Hwy. 60, serves as the gateway to a challenging hour-long hike up the Appalachian Trail that culminates with a breathtaking view from Preacher’s Rock. Many local residents park at the site just to take advantage of the scenic two-mile round trip.
The other local recreation site facing new and increased fees is the Dockery Lake Recreation Area, where visitors will be asked to pay a $5 daily fee to use the previously free picnic site. In addition, the Dockery Lake campground will be increasing its nightly camping fees from $4 per night to $7.50 per night for primitive camping, and raising the price from $8 to $20 for a single site with utility hookup.
In a May 26 press release announcing the proposal, the Forest Service outlined its rationale for the fee increases: “Currently . . . there are multiple day-use sites, overnight camping sites, and other recreation sites that are managed without user fees, or that have existing fees that are not in alignment with the level of amenities they provide … These proposals will help us maintain the sites to the level and quality people have come to expect as well as make the fees more consistent throughout the area.”

HIKING PRICES

The Nugget reached out to Taylor Hughes, Acting Staff Officer for Public Affairs with the Forest Service, for more details on where and how the funds collected from the new proposed fees could be spent.
“Under the Recreation Enhancement Act a portion of the fees must be reinvested for maintenance and/or improvements to the recreation area from which the fees were collected,” Hughes replied via a written statement, indicating that the Woody Gap and Dockery Lake sites would directly benefit from the new parking fees.
The USDA also provided specific examples of the ways that the new funds can be spent: “The funds may be used for trail maintenance, trailhead parking maintenance, improvements such as picnic table replacement, restroom maintenance, and signage.”

EXPERT OPINION

Georgia Appalachian Trail Club board member and Dahlonega resident Tom Lamb gave The Nugget his personal thoughts on the proposed increases. Lamb said he was already aware of the news, due to his prior volunteer work on the A.T.
“I maintain a section of the trail and do a lot of work up there. In fact, we just put in new rock steps going up to Preacher’s Rock because that area has become so popular and they had gotten worn out,” Lamb began.
Lamb said that while no one is ever excited to see a price increase, this one is likely justified.
“It’s nice not to have to pay for parking, but the volume of people that park at places like Woody Gap and some of the others is so heavy that it’s a big strain on the facilities, like that bathroom that’s at Woody Gap,” Lamb said.
Lamb pointed out that the parking lot itself requires frequent maintenance; he also brought up another possible use for the additional funds that he had noticed while working in the area: “There’s some damage on the lot across the road from the bathroom. Someone’s run into that rock wall that was built in the 30’s by the Civilian Core,” he reported.
When asked by The Nugget, Hughes indicated that the crumbling rock wall would indeed be eligible for replacement using a portion of the newly-collected funds.

FOOTING THE BILL

“Historically a lot of people argue ‘Why should people pay for something they don’t use through taxes? Let the users pay for upkeep and improvement.’ So charging a use fee this way impacts the visitor, and not everybody else,” Lamb explained.
He also drew a distinction between having to pay a daily parking fee at an optional recreation site and having to pay for more frequently-used privileges.
“It’s not like the parking meters in town, where if you work in town you have to pay it every day. It’s not going to affect people in the way that a toll road does,” Lamb reasoned.
Lamb said one thing he would personally like to know is whether the fee will be waived for working volunteers.
“Are those of us who do trail maintenance going to receive a pass?” Lamb asked rhetorically. “We would be people that would be visiting a lot of times a month, as opposed to a user that goes once a month or even once a year.”
Fortunately, Hughes was able to provide an answer to that question as well.
“Typically, the Forest Service waives the fee for our established volunteer groups with rostered members who maintain the trail on a regularly scheduled basis,” she replied.

PUBLIC INPUT

The Forest Service is accepting public comments on the proposed recreation fees through August 31, 2023. Comments may be submitted one of four ways.
Interested residents may mail comments to the attention of Taylor Hughes at 1755 Cleveland Highway, Gainesville, GA 30501; they can also e-mail sm.fs.chattoconee@usda.gov, or submit comments online directly through the U.S. Forest Service website. Finally, they can call 770-297-3000.
After the comment period has closed, a Recreation Resource Advisory Committee will make a recommendation to the Regional Forester, who will make a final determination whether the proposed fees will be approved.