AF Canyon entrance fees may double

[KanyonKris]

The Forrest Service (FS) is proposing to increase the entrance fee to American Fork Canyon / Alpine Loop, from $3 to $6. Yep, double. The annual pass is proposed to increase just shy of double from $25 to $45. This is literally highway robbery! I was OK with the $3 fee because I saw many improvements to the facilities in the canyon. But what do they need twice as much money for? I don't want an AF Canyon Disneyland, just keep things maintained and protect the natural environment - it shouldn't cost double to do that. The FS has a list of projects, most of which I don't approve. For campground improvements, raise camp fees to pay for that, not the entrance fee - duh! The listed projects seem minor and I don't see how they justify such a huge fee increase. Frankly, I think it's a ploy - propose double then "settle" for a smaller increase so the public feels like we did them a favor. The Fee Demonstration Program, which allowed the FS to charge entrance and other fees, put the public trust directly into the hands of the land managers - well, with this proposed doubling of fees, the FS has betrayed this trust. Sad.

Here is a Daily Herald article about it:

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/235408/4/

I will be sending in my comments tonight. To comment on the proposed entrance fee increases for American Fork Canyon, write to:

Pleasant Grove Ranger District
390 North 100 East
Pleasant Grove, UT 84062

(They can't afford to have an e-mail address? Sheesh! Thanks for making it more annoying to comment - all part of the plan, no doubt.)