POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pocatello Field Office is asking people to review a draft of a new budget plan which would increase and add fees to campgrounds around Southeast Idaho.
The 2025 ‘Recreation Fee Sites Business Plan’ includes proposals to increase the cost of camping and boat ramp use at the Blackfoot Reservoir Campground near Soda Springs, the Redpoint Campground near Preston, and the Maple Grove Campground near Thatcher. The plan would also add fees for camping, boat ramp use, and RV amenities at the Pipeline Campground near American Falls.
Bruce Hallman, public affairs specialist with the BLM, said the fee increases are designed to keep the campgrounds ‘self-sufficient’ and make up for increased costs of labor needed to maintain the public spaces, which have had a steady influx of visitors since the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago.
“[The COVID-19 pandemic] really drove people outdoors… we applaud that, we want people to go out and enjoy our public lands,” said Hallman. “The problem is that it has impacted it, so lots more people, lots more use, lots more abuse––it takes work to try to deal with that, to handle trails, to handle people not following trails, to handle people camping, wanting more camping, inventing their own version of camping, dumping all sorts of things that are appropriate and not so appropriate; so, it takes a lot of managing to manage these different public lands.”
Camping fees are proposed to increase by $10 across all four campgrounds; if the business plan is accepted, Blackfoot Reservoir camping would cost $20 per night, camping at Redpoint and Maple Grove would cost $15 per night, and Pipeline Campground camping would cost $10 per night.
Under the proposed plan, boat ramp use for the day would increase to $10 per vehicle per day at the Blackfoot Reservoir and $5 per vehicle per day at Pipeline.
BLM is asking people to review the proposed business plan and leave comment until August 15. People can find the plan on the BLM website.
