ELKINS, W.Va., (WVDN) — The Monongahela National Forest is creating new and increasing fees at developed recreation sites to go towards maintenance and to enhance visitor experience. The fee changes incorporated public comments, level of amenities, services provided, cost of operations and market assessments. The new and increased fees will take effect January 1, 2026.
Monongahela’s fee programs provide a valuable source of funding to help maintain and enhance high quality recreation sites. The recreation fees go right back to the national forest improving public access, safety and experience. Visitors will see improvements to 14 developed campgrounds, two cabin sites and three day use/picnic areas.
A complete list of fee areas can be found on the Monongahela National Forest webpage at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/monongahela/newsroom/releases/monongahela-increasing-and-adding-fees-several-developed.
The fee changes were approved by the West Virginia Recreation Resource Advisory (Recreation RAC) Committee and the Eastern Regional Forester.
In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act which allows the Forest Service to retain 95% of revenue collected at recreation sites and use these funds locally to operate, maintain, and improve these sites. Revenue is reinvested into forest recreation sites in the form of 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 Monongahela National Forest hosts numerous free days and many developed recreation sites on the forest are free for public use. You can find information on fee free days at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/monongahela.
For more information, please visit the Monongahela National Forest website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/monongahela.
