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September 24, 2007
LOCAL FOREST RECREATION SITES
SLATED FOR CLOSURE OR PRIVATIZATION
Forest
Service Accepting Public Comments
Through September 28
Los Padres National Forest,
Calif. - Earlier this month, the U.S. Forest Service released a
five-year program that would close certain campsites and
trailheads, reduce the operating season of others, increase user
fees, and promote the privatization of several other sites in
the Los Padres National Forest. The purpose of the program is to
"bring the Forest's recreation infrastructure into alignment
with the resources available to operate and maintain it to
standard" and to "maintain and enhance customer satisfaction."
 According
to the Forest Service report, the agency is also proposing to
increase or improve services at 44.5% of the forest's recreation
sites. Most of these improvements involve installing
informational signs and replacing toilets, according to the
report.
The program would reduce
operating costs by 23%, saving $88,345; would reduce annual
maintenance costs by 65%, saving $172,331; and would reduce
deferred maintenance costs by 40%, saving $2,127,325.
Privatizing Campgrounds and
Trailheads
The program continues the trend
of privatizing recreation facilities in the national forest,
including transferring the operation and maintenance of sites to
private companies called "concessionaires." Currently there are
three sites in the Los Padres that are operated by
concessionaires, including the Santa Ynez Recreation Area in
Santa Barbara County, Cerro Alto Campground off Highway 41
between Morro Bay and Atascadero, and Plaskett Creek Campground
along the Big Sur coast.
 The agency's five-year program
includes developing a concessionaire prospectus for twelve
additional sites, all in Ventura County. These sites generally
include some of the most popular recreation areas in the forest,
including Rose Valley (off Highway 33 north of Ojai); Mt. Pinos,
Mt. Abel, and Frazier Mountain; Grade Valley Road; and the Gene
Marshall - Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail, which passes
through 18 miles of rugged backcountry in the Sespe Wilderness.
Specific sites to be handed
over to a private concessionaire include:
-
Rose Valley (4) - here the Forest Service proposes to
privatize four recreation sites along Rose Valley Road,
including Lower and Upper Rose Valley Lakes, Middle Lion
Campground, and the Piedra Blanca Trailhead. This is the
southern trailhead for the Gene Marshall - Piedra Blanca
National Recreation Trail.
-
Campo Alto Campground - at the top of Mt. Abel at the
end of Cerro Noroeste Road
-
Chuchupate Campground - at the base of Frazier
Mountain
-
 Fishbowls Trailhead - on Grade Valley Road, this
newly relocated trailhead runs along Piru Creek and leads to
a backcountry campsite in the Sespe Wilderness, and to a
series of deep pools worn into sandstone by Piru Creek.
-
Halfmoon Campground - along Piru Creek near the end
of Grade Valley Road
-
Johnston Ridge Trailhead - along Grade Valley Road
-
Pine Springs - along Grade Valley Road at the base of
San Guillermo Mountain
-
Chula Vista Trailhead - at the top of Mt. Pinos, this
trailhead leads to the condor observation area and into the
Chumash Wilderness between Mt. Pinos and Mt. Abel.
-
Reyes Creek Campground, Trailhead - along Lockwood
Valley Road near Camp Scheideck, this is the northern
trailhead for the Gene Marshall - Piedra Blanca National
Recreation Trail.
Closing Campgrounds &
Reducing Seasons of Use
The Forest Service is proposing
to permanently close two campsites - Colson Campground east of
Santa Maria, and Hardluck Campground in northeastern Ventura
County. Hardluck Campground has already been closed to because
of its close proximity to Piru Creek, which
provides habitat for the endangered arroyo toad.
Forest officials also propose
to reduce the season of use for nine campgrounds, including Big
Caliente (3 week reduction), La Cumbre Picnic Area (3 month
reduction), Middle Santa Ynez Campground (3 month reduction),
Mono Campground (unspecified reduction), P-Bar Flat (3 month
reduction), Rock Camp (3 month reduction), Dough Flat Trailhead
(unspecified reduction), Pine Mountain Campground (unspecified
reduction), and Reyes Peak Campground and Trailhead (unspecified
reduction).
These closures are proposed
even though the Forest Service expects visitation to increase by
as much as 20% in the Los Padres National Forest
during the next fifteen years.
Increasing Forest Fees
The Los Padres National Forest
proposes to increase the fees charged at six existing fee sites,
and to consider charging new fees at another three sites.
Improving and Expanding
Recreation Sites
The news is not all bad. The
Forest Service is also proposing to install interpretive signs
at 22 sites, to install or upgrade toilets at 16 sites, to add
campsites to three sites, to construct a new trailhead, to
increase staffing presence at five sites, and to rehabilitate
two sites. Many of the recreation sites in the forest - 46 out
of 108 sites - will not have any changes.
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES
TO RECREATION SITES
The following is a summary of
the Forest Service's proposed changes to recreation sites in the
Los Padres National Forest. This list does not include minor
changes, such as installing signs.
Monterey County
Brazil Ranch - Remodel the
horse barn for office space and repair the water system. The
Brazil Ranch was acquired by the Forest Service in 2002.
Kirk Creek Campground -
rehabilitate the campground, replace the water system.
Arroyo Seco - expand to include
RV camping with full hookups, construct additional parking at
the day use area, and install new signs and bulletin boards at
these areas and the trailhead.
Escondido - begin charging fee.
Memorial Park - begin charging
fee.
San Luis Obispo County
Hi Mountain Camp - begin
charging fee, replace toilet
Navajo Flat ORV Staging Area -
redesign the site
Turkey Flat ORV Staging Area -
redesign the site
Santa Barbara County
Figueroa Mountain - remove the
water system at the Figueroa campground, replace toilets at Davy
Brown and at Figueroa Lookout.
Colson Camp - close permanently
Big Caliente Camp - reduce
season by three weeks
Cachuma Camp - increase staff
presence
Fremont Camp - increase fee
La Cumbre - reduce season by
three months
Los Prietos Camp - increase fee
Middle Santa Ynez - add three
campsites, reduce season by three months, increase staff
presence
Mono Camp - reduce season,
increase staff presence
Paradise - increase fee
P-Bar Flat Camp - add three
campsites, reduce season by three months, increase staff
presence
Rock Camp - reduce season by
three months, increase staff presence
Sage Hill - increase fee
Upper Oso - increase campsite
fees
South Ventura County
Dough Flat Trailhead - reduce
season
Holiday - add water delivery
Rose Valley - transfer Lower
and Upper Rose Valley Lakes, Middle Lion Camp, Piedra Blanca
Trailhead, and Rose Valley to a concessionaire. Also, add a
toilet and water system to Rose Valley, add amenities to Lower
and Upper Rose Valley Lakes.
Wheeler Gorge - add RV hookups.
Pine Mountain - reduce season
and increase the fee at Pine Mountain and Reyes Peak
campgrounds; reduce season at Reyes Peak Trailhead.
North Ventura County/Mt.
Pinos Area
Campo Alto - transfer to
concessionaire
Chuchupate Camp - transfer to
concenssionaire
Chula Vista - transfer to
concessionaire
Fishbowls Trailhead - transfer
to concessionaire
Frazier Mountain - add new
trailhead
Halfmoon Camp - transfer to
concessionaire
Hardluck Camp - close
permanently
Johnston Ridge Trailhead -
transfer to concessionaire
Kings Camp - increase current
fee
McGill - major rehabilitation
Ozena Camp - close permanently
Pine Springs - transfer to
concessionaire
Piru Creek - add a low-water
crossing
Reyes Creek Camp & Trailhead -
transfer to concessionaire
Thorn Meadows - remove
restroom, tables, and firepits
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