Some Auburn State Recreation Area parking will jump to $10 next week
The Auburn State Recreation Area’s wild and scenic canyon experience is getting pricier. New pay-to-park fees of up to $10 are due for a soft launch this September at choice trailhead sites like the Quarry Road lot, the horse trailer parking area on Auburn’s Pacific Avenue and Cool equestrian parking area. Popular recreational destinations like Upper Lake Clementine and Mammoth Bar Off-Highway Vehicle Area that already have $5 day-use fees in place will start charging the increases on Monday. And camping fees at the park’s three campgrounds – at Lake Clementine’s boat-in camp, Mineral Bar off Iowa Hill Road and Ruck-A-Chucky on the Middle Fork American River – are also due for still yet-to-be determined increases. Fees are now $15 at Mineral Bar and Ruck-A-Chucky. They’re $24 for the 18 reserved Lake Clementine spots. The state is warning campers to expect increases of from $5 to $21. Acting Superintendent Mike Lynch said that there are no plans at the moment to establish pay-to-park at the sides of the road around the American River confluence – the most heavily used area of the park. September will see the new “iron ranger” collection boxes activated at the Quarry Road trailhead and other locations. Motorists will deposit fees and a form with their license plate number in the metal receptacles instead of paying a parks employee before entering. Rangers will monitor the different locations to determine who is paying or not. There will be a 30-day “educational process” with warnings in the new day-use areas. “We’re trying to provide a grace period so people can get used to it,” Lynch said. Lynch said the new and increased fees are being driven by both state and federal budget concerns. The Parks Department has ordered the day-use parking fee and camping cost increases to offset continuing budget reductions. Camping reservations made prior to Monday will be honored at the lower price. The Auburn State Recreation Area, which has 500,000 visitors a year, is on land set aside for an Auburn dam and overseen by the Parks Department under a contract with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The bureau has asked that more user fees be implemented to help shoulder some more of the costs of the park, Lynch said. The bureau now provides $1.4 million for ranger patrols and trash pickup but doesn’t pay for equipment replacement or facility maintenance. The bureau also wants use fees to match Folsom State Recreation Area’s, Lynch said. The fees there are now $8 and due to likely increase to $10. The “iron ranger” boxes were put in place two years ago but the fees were never instituted at the four new recreation area locations after the park got a reprieve on budget cuts. “Now the situation has totally changed,” Lynch said. Eric Peach, a board member with Auburn’s Protect American River Canyons, said the fee increases are happening throughout the state and he understands them, in the context of avoiding park closures. “It kind of hurts people on a low budget but I don’t think the increases are high enough to deter people too much,” Peach said. Peach said that his State Parks Foundation membership includes a year-long pass to state parks. Annual passes are for sale at $125. At the confluence on Wednesday, Steve Bryant of Citrus Heights said he has mixed feelings about fees. “I grew up with no fees in parks but I understand their current needs,” Bryant said. “If they want them for a worthwhile purpose, like maintenance, then I wouldn’t object.” Stacy Quatela of Meadow Vista said she would pay the fees for parking. “But I have hopes that it would help to take care of the area,” Quatela said. “On the other hand, California is a huge tourism state and there are still plenty of places to go for free. That’s what California is about.” The Journal’s Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com.
Keywords
Auburn State Recreation Area, pay-to-park fees, Quarry Road, Upper Lake Clementine, Mammoth Bar Off-Highway Vehicle Area, Lake Clementine’s boat-in camp, Mineral Bar, Iowa Hill Road, Ruck-A-Chucky, Middle Fork American River, Mike Lynch, American River confluence, Auburn State Recreation Area, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Eric Peach, Auburn’s Protect American River Canyons, State Parks Foundation, Steve Bryant, Stacy Quatela, Meadow Vista,
|
Change Location:
|
Gus, you wrote this piece with a clear slant that people are happy to pay more.
“It kind of hurts people on a low budget but I don’t think the increases are high enough to deter people too much,” Peach said. BS
Raising fees in this economy is cruel. The river belongs to all people. Don't they realize that less people will come and they wont get the revenue they desire? Give us a break.
UNBELIEVABLE! To charge $10.00 to park at a site that is used daily for local hikers and river enthusiasts is a huge mistake. The Confluence area is a huge attraction for local individuals & families who want to enjoy nature inexpensively & close to home. And when Sacramento visitors & other tourists find that they must pay for parking? Well, they'll just go elsewhere, and Auburn will lose tourist revenue.
My family and I hike & use the river often, and to pay $10.00 just for a nice lunchtime swim or a family walk to No Hands Bridge will make this activity impossible. I say, "NO PAY FOR RIVER PLAY!"
Chuxxr, we could apply your logic to taxes. Increasing taxes is a dumb idea during a recession. People paying higher taxes have less disposable income to spend on well, recreation, for example.
Bootz, the story says that the confluence parking area will still be free, at least for now. The new pay to park sites mainly affect horse people and Mountain bikers or hikers that want to park in the pay to play sites.
"My family and I hike & use the river often, and to pay $10.00 just for a nice lunchtime swim or a family walk to No Hands Bridge will make this activity impossible. I say, "NO PAY FOR RIVER PLAY!" "
Fee for service...I visit often as well and someone has to pick up the garbage left behind, and there is a lot,, patrol, etc, and those fees should be assessed on those using the area which it sounds like it is, not the rest of the taxpayers that do not.
Parking at the Confluence will remain free. The new fees ares are established parking lots.
Another solution is to buy the yearly passes, there are two of them. One goes for $135.00 and gives free access to all California State Parks, the other sell for $90.00 and includes most Ste Parks, specially those in No. Cal.
If you receive aid for the blind, disability, are on SSI or on welfare you may qualify for a yearly pass costing $5.00. This should allow low income residents and handicapped people to enjoy the parks year round for near nothing.
The important thing is to keep the parks open, the more we clean up after ourselves the less costlier the maintenance becomes. Our help is needed, acting like civilized people will go a long way to saving our parks. If possible take out what you bring in, don't deface the buildings, destroy the benches to use the wood for the bonfire and above all, leave the spray paint cans at home, leave nature natural.
Have a great day.
Why did the number of visitors drop from 1 million per year to supposedly only a half million ? Don't locals count as users ?
You could see this coming a mile down the road.
I hope all you who voted for the Republican Congressional Candidate, who believes in privatizing EVERYTHING, are happy with now being told to pay to use your OWN STATE PUBLIC PARK in your own back yard.
Idiots.
The CA State Parks were revenue PLUS and of course this means the idiotic REPUBLICAN governor is trying to close them so the State can LOSE MORE REVENUE.
Just in time so users can be assaulted by ignoramuses letting their pit bulls and german shepards run loose, and motorbikes and bicycles illegally using parts of the trail that are supposed to be off limits to wheeled traffic.
Sweet.
The objective by the Republicans is to cut park use to make it have less support. Long term goal, subdivisions over a new reservoir and dam. Look at the cranks under the other article whining about having tiles on a plaza with an endurance theme. You don't think this is a coincidence ?
"The objective by the Republicans is to cut park use to make it have less support."
I didnt read any of this in the article, theory and conjecture perhaps?...furthermore I will pay more to keep the parks open, instead of closing them, staffing, maint etc does cost $$ in a time when there is little.....
Typical California govt. When the people are down,kick them........real hard. No wonder this state is giong to hell.
Loomisresident,
Where are all of the nekkid people supposed to hang their park passes?
Oh! Wait. Never mind.
fuhrsg, they should hang them in their cars, not their person but then you figured out where to hang them if it ever came to that. Problem solved. Don't you wish everything was that simple.
Thanks for the laugh though, it a great way to start a weekend.
Everyone have a great weekend.
you all wont believe the trouble i had at folsom one time over parking fees. i simply dont have the space here. long story short, i said refund my eight dollars and uphold the fine or decrease the fine by eight dollars. the fine was 64 dollars. craziest thing in the world. but there is alot missing here. if you want to increase fees, educate your ranger to look for the stub on the dash.
who gives a crap
Gee, thanks for making the area we live in too expensive for us to enjoy.