US Forest Service Contemplates Annual Pass for ATVs

Filed in archive Legislation/Environment News on July 28, 2007

Right now Georgia residents pay a $5.00 daily fee to ride on the US Forest Service land at designated OHV trails. There is a proposal to change that to a $50.00 annual pass.

The fees collected from the OHV parks represented about $112,000.00 in 2006, while the cost of maintaining and operating the trail system was around $60,000.00. So the park is making a real nice profit as it is. With an annual pass, that profit may increase, which would be a good thing for the Parks and Rec departments of the government. But what about the cost to OHVers? Will they be paying more?

Depends. If everyone has to pay an annual pass, my guess is that, while you'd have to make 10 trips a year to pay for the pass, most visitors don't go that often, and less people would use the facility. Or at least pay to use it.

The issue is opened to comments until Aug 10. If you'd like to voice your opinion, you can do it here:

Attn: Shirley Dyer, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest,
1755 Cleveland Highway,
Gainesville, GA 30501