Forest Service ups fees

MANCHESTER- The Green Mountain National Forest officials have announced that they are raising fees for the Grout Pond, and Hapgood Pond recreation areas. The new fee increase became official on May, 5.
Grout Pond Recreation Area has 17 lakefront campsites located around a beautiful large lake. There is a campground fee of $16  per night per site.  The forest has implemented several recent improvements to the Grout Pond recreation area such as fire rings, more frequent mowing, and restroom maintenance, bridge work, and repairs to the trail network.
Planned improvements include adding trash containers along with bear-proof dumpsters, new toilets, a new access road, new boat launch, two new group use sites, new picnic tables, informational kiosks, new compost boardwalks to improve the surrounding trail network, and interpretive signing.
Grout Pond will be made available under the reservation system. People wanting to use the campsites or group use areas must make reservations via toll free number (877) 444-6777 or online at www.recreation.gov.  
Hapgood Pond recreation Area is an accessible campground with 28 sites located around a wooded loop. There is a campground fee of $20 per night per site. The forest has implemented several improvements to the Hapgood Pond Campgrounds.
There is a day use fee of $5 per day per vehicle. The day use area has a beach for swimming, picnic tables, water fountains, and a bathhouse along with a non-motorized-boat launch, and accessible fishing dock.
Additional revenues will help support several improvements such as repairing the bathhouse, new interpretive signing, beach and day use site updates, electrical work, and interpretive trail maintenance.
Hapgood Pond recreation area also has two large group picnic pavilions. The pavilions are $50 per pavilion per group per day.  The pavilions have also received upgrades such as log replacement and accessibility improvements.
Hapgood Pond pavilions will be made available under the reservation system. People wanting to use the larger group use area must make reservations via toll free number (877) 444-6777 or online at www.recreation.gov .  
For more information visit  www.fs.usda.gov/gmfl or contact the Manchester Ranger District at (802) 362-2307. 

The Deerfield Valley News

797 VT Route 100 North
Wilmington, VT 05363

Phone: 802-464-3388
Fax: 802-464-7255

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