ST. GEORGE – The Bureau of Land Management-Utah St. George Field Office is seeking public comment on a draft business plan for the Baker Dam Recreation Area – a recreation fee site located on BLM-managed public lands in Washington County, Utah.
The draft business plan proposes to increase recreation fees to help cover operational costs, which have risen substantially since 1997 when fees were last raised.
Under the proposal, the fee for day use would increase from $2 per car to $5 per car; and the overnight camping fee would increase from $6 per night to $12 per night. Even with the proposed increases, use fees for the Baker Dam Recreation Area would remain below the fees charged by other federal and state recreation facilities in the region with similar amenities.
The draft business plan also includes information on how collected fees have been used in the past and how future revenues would be used to operate, maintain, and upgrade recreation area facilities. Before the draft plan can be finalized and implemented, the BLM-Utah Resource Advisory Council must review and approve proposed changes.
The recreation area was developed in the 1980s to take advantage of the fishing, swimming, and boating opportunities afforded by the nearby Baker Dam Reservoir, located 25 miles north of St. George. This area, which receives approximately 2,500 visitors annually, offers a wide variety of amenities including a developed campground, day use area, and a hiking trail.
The draft business plan is available for review online. Hard copies can also be reviewed at the BLM-Utah St. George Field Office, located at 345 E. Riverside Drive in St. George.
Written comments will be accepted through Jan. 23. Please note that the most useful comments are those that contain new technical or scientific information relevant to the proposed action. Comments should be as specific as possible. Comments which contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response but may be considered in the BLM decision-making process. Please reference “Baker Dam Recreation Area” when submitting comments.
Written comments may be mailed or emailed. Before including an address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information in any comments, be aware that the entire comment—including personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time.
Requests to withhold personal identifying information from public review can be submitted, but the BLM cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
Resources
- Draft business plan is available for review online
- St. George Field Office for comments | Email | Fax 435-896-1550 | Mail or in person to 345 East Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah 84790
- For more information contact Kyle Voyles | 435-688-3274
- BLM website
Related posts
- Washington County resident among BLM advisory council appointees
- BLM hosts open house for improvements at Parowan Gap
- BLM holds competitive land sale, 191 acres in Washington County
- BLM seeks public comment on amended San Juan River business plan
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
Do people still go to baker? I haven’t camped there in years, getting pretty run down and not nearly any water like it used to be. Steeper prices won’t help. It will just make people go elsewhere. Enterprise reservoir is the same way.
I agree with Burton, there isn’t much there to charge a fee for. So, raising the fee won’t draw in much of a crowd. I’d rather see this under some type of private stewardship where you can “buy” what you use instead of being forced to pay just to look at the water.
LOL thats funny.. Just the thought of somebody paying too camp at. Baker. Let alone people even go there at all
Only thing that happens when they start charging more is some days will be closed to the public. Look no further then Gunlock Reservoir. We used to use it year round, now it’s closed because they think someone needs to be there to harass us.
Haven’t been to Gunlock for years. The last time I went, there were a bunch of area Dixie drunks camping out and blasting vulgar rap music from their boats’ speakers. I assume they were locals as I only saw Utah plates.
It is a cheap place to camp or spend the day and I see no objection to raising the price, but with that price increase a camp host should be employed. The area needs someone to look after it, to make sure fees are being paid and that people aren’t leaving their trash or having fires where they shouldn’t.
!00+% increase. It must be those tax and spend Republicans imposing these increases.
It’s the RAP tax at work….thru the Feds.
It’s a state park. Try again.
Actually coolaid, its NOT a state park. It IS federal land managed by the B.L.M. You know the federal agency you Bundy haters support so much. The “Bullies of land management” manage the area and have for quite awhile. It used to be pretty nice, but like most things the feds run it into ruins. Research bro’! Try it out. I don’t go there anymore because of what hey charge now, I surely wont go when they increase the fees.
Yes, you are right. It is BLM. How did the Utah GOP manage to raise those rates?
I haven’t been to Baker for years. Wasn’t impressed with it. It’s more a pond than a lake.
Baker is very run down these days. I think the would have to put a lot into it first before raising fees. First of all they should probably fill it. To have to pay more to get less seems like a poor business plan.