Bureau of Land Management Bishop Office to Hold Public Meetings on Campground Fees

The BLM's Bishop Field Office is seeking public feedback on its campground fees and Long Term Visitor Area (LTVA) permits.

Three public open houses will be held in July: Tuesday, July 16, at the BLM office at 351 Pacu Lane in Bishop; Wednesday, July 17, at Crowley Lake Campground's host site; and Thursday, July 18, at Tuttle Creek Campground's host site. All three meetings will run from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The BLM manages five campgrounds in the Eastern Sierra: Tuttle Creek campground in the Alabama Hills, Goodale Creek Campground west of Aberdeen, PV Pit campground south of the Volcanic Tablelands, Horton Creek Campground just north of Bishop, and Crowley Lake campground just north of Crowley.

Current fees, which were established in 2005, are $5 per night for Tuttle Creek, Goodale Creek, Horton Creek and Crowley Lake, and $2 per night at the PV Pit. Visitors wishing to stay longer than 14 days can pay $300 for the season or $100 per month for a LTVA permit.

BLM campground fees are currently among the lowest in the Eastern Sierra, said Becca Brooke supervisory resource management specialist in the Bishop Field Office. BLM reviews fees every other year and is considering an increase to be closer to those charged by other agencies.

In 2012, the BLM made upgrades to the campgrounds, including new fire rings, picnic tables, lantern holders and bathrooms at Tuttle Creek, Goodale Creek, Horton Creek and Crowley Lake. Drinking water and dump stations were also installed at Tuttle Creek, Horton Creek, and Crowley Lake. Dump station fees are $5 per use.

Annual fee revenue for all five campgrounds was approximately $42,000 in 2012. All fees collected in BLM campgrounds are used to maintain those same campgrounds. The BLM estimates that annual operation of the five campgrounds costs approximately $200,000 per year.

For more information, contact Brooke at (760) 872-5046 rbrooke@blm.gov.