White Mountain National Forest officials are proposing to increase fees at recreation areas, taking effect as soon as next spring.
The cost of a daily recreation pass would increase from $3 to $5, annual passes from $25 to $30 and household passes from $25 to $40 under a plan proposed to the Eastern Region Recreation Advisory Committee.
The forest service had asked for household passes to be eliminated, but changed course after a public comment period.
“After a review of the comments received, it became clear that the household recreation pass is an important option for many families to be able to recreate on the national forest,” the forest service wrote in a statement issued this week.
Comments are being accepted until Jan. 30 about the proposed increase to household passes, which enables people in the same household to purchase passes for two vehicles at a reduced fee. They should be directed to Marianne Leberman, White Mountain National Forest, 71 White Mountain Drive, Campton, 03223.
The Eastern Region Recreation Advisory Committee will meet April 20 to discuss the proposed fee changes.
“If approved, fee increases will be implemented in the late spring of 2017,” the forest service said in its statement.
(Nick Reid can be reached at 369-3325, nreid@cmonitor.com or on Twitter at @NickBReid.)