Mark Twain National Forest Recreation Area fee changes
Rolla, MO, – Increases in maintenance costs over the past 15 years have led to the need for the USDA Forest Service to adjust fees at Mark Twain National Forest’s developed recreation sites.
New and increased fees will take effect on January 1,2024.
Over time, this will also help in making improvements at multiple recreation sites in line with the Forest’s
recreation strategic plan.
A vast majority of the Forest is free for visitors to access and enjoy, but fees are needed to maintain the sites that offer amenities—things like fire rings, trash service, potable water, electricity, paved parking and more.
In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act which allows the Forest Service to retain 95% of revenue collected at recreation sites and use the funds locally to operate, maintain and improve the sites. Revenue is reinvested into Forest recreation sites in the form of trash pickups, septic and toilet pumping, painting, cleaning, addressing the backlog of deferred maintenance, conducting patrols, and maintaining highly used trails and campsites.
The Mark Twain National Forest conducted public outreach for this process between May 19 and November 1, 2021. Forest personnel engaged the public to gain input using social media posts, signs within recreation areas, news releases, public meetings, conversations with County Commissions, letters to Tribal Nations, and letters to congressional contacts.
This led to the Forest receiving robust comments on the fee proposal. The proposed changes were based on the level of amenities and services provided, cost of operations and maintenance and market assessments. Strong emphasis has been placed on the importance of being able to appropriately charge for the amenities that visitors have available to them at each of our sites.
It’s also important to recognize the role of the private sector economy by being on par with other rates charge in the vicinity.
The Eleven Point Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) met June 27, 2023, as a Recreation RAC to approve the proposed fee changes. The RAC members represent a broad array of interest groups to help ensure that the Forest Service is proposing reasonable and publicly acceptable fee changes. The Forest Service’s Regional Forester for the Eastern Region reviewed and approved the final fee changes which will now be implemented.
The Mark Twain National Forest’s fee changes includes increasing, decreasing, and the addition of fees at developed campgrounds, day use sites, pavilions, cabins, and motorized trails.
Specifically, the following fees changes have been approved:
Site Name & Proposed New Fee(s)
Lane Spring Day Use – $5 per day
Lane Spring Campground
$15 per single
$25 per single electric
$30 per double
Lane Spring Group Day Use – $50 per day (100 people)
Paddy Creek Campground – $15 per night
Pine Ridge Campground – $15 per night
Dry Fork Campground – $15 per night
Red Bluff Day Use – $5 per day
Red Bluff Campground
$15 per single site
$25 per single electric
$25 per double site
$35 per double electric
Red Bluff Group Campground
$50 for 0- 50 people
$100 51-74 people
Red Bluff Group Day Use – $50 per day (74 people)
Berryman Day Use – $5 per day
Berryman Campground – $15 single site
Berryman Group Day Use – $50 per day (74 people)
Council Bluff Day Use- $5 per day
Council Bluff Campground
$15 per single site
$25 per double site
Council Bluff Group Campground
$50 1- 50 people
$100 51-74 people
Council Bluff Group Day Use
$10 per day (20 people)
$50 per day (74 people)
Loggers Lake Day Use – $5 per day
Loggers Lake Campground – $15 per night
Marble Creek Day Use – $5 per day
Marble Creek Campground – $15 per night
Pinewoods Lake Campground
$15 per single site
$25 per double site
Pinewoods Lake Group Day Use- $50 per day (74 people)
Markham Springs Day Use – $5 per day
Markham Springs Group Day Use – $50 per day (50 people)
Sinking Creek Cabin= $75 per night (7 people)
Cobb Ridge Campground
$15 per single site
$25 per double site
Cobb Ridge Group Campground – $75 per night (24 people)
Chadwick OHV Riding Area
(Special Recreation Permit)
$10 per day
$20 for 2-day
$30 for 3-day
$60 annual pass
Big Bay Day Use $5 per day
Bar-K Horse Camp $10 per night
Noblett Lake Day Use $5 per day
Noblett Lake Group Day Use $50 per day (75 people)
Day Use Annual Pass $40 per vehicle
For more information, including the complete list of areas with fee changes, please visit the
Mark Twain National Forest website at: www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf or at (573) 341-7405.
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