DENVER — Pitkin County commissioners voted unanimously today, September 23, to approve a special use permit for the county to take over daily operations of the Maroon Bells Scenic Area from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) starting in 2027. The permit, which does not specify how many acres of public land the county would manage, still needs final approval from USFS and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The Forest Service says the Maroon Bells Scenic Area runs at a deficit of more than $300,000 a year, and White River National Forest officials cited budget constraints, hiring difficulties, and deferred maintenance as reasons it can no longer afford to manage the area. Pitkin County Open Space and Trails has been partnering with the federal government at Maroon Bells for decades and the county has the resources and experience to take on day-to-day operations. But to help cover operating costs, the county has proposed increasing the vehicle day-use fee from $10 to $30 and the nightly campground fee from $15 to $33.
Last week, USFS said it would add a 15-day public comment period before approving the permit, changing its original plan to approve it without public input. The Forest Service intends to approve the permit using a categorical exclusion, which allows the agency to bypass the environmental review usually required under the National Environmental Policy Act. As of today, USFS has not released a map of the permit area.
Center for Western Priorities released the following statement from Aaron Weiss, executive director for the Center for Western Priorities:
“The Forest Service actually listened to the public and plans to open a comment period, and that’s an important precedent to uphold. But a comment period only works if people know what they’re commenting on. We still haven’t seen a map or been told how many acres the county would manage. The public can’t meaningfully weigh in when they don’t even know the scope of this proposal.
“Pitkin County is stepping in because the federal government failed to fund one of the most iconic landscapes in the country. Handing operations of public lands to whoever wants to cover the bill sets a dangerous precedent. It’s only a matter of time until an agreement like this one comes to a county that isn’t interested in prioritizing conservation and recreation—and the Trump administration is eager to privatize our public lands whenever it can. Congress sets the Forest Service’s budget, and it’s Congress’s job to fund our public lands so the federal government can manage them for everyone.”
The Forest Service comment period has not yet been published in the Federal Register.
Learn more:
- Forest Service adds comment period for PitCo’s Maroon Bells operations takeover — Aspen Journalism
- Advocates are concerned that Maroon Bells move signals shift towards privatization — Aspen Public Radio
- Amid restructuring talk, Forest Service says it can no longer manage popular Maroon Bells recreation area — Aspen Public Radio
- Pitkin County and U.S. Forest Service Explore Expanded Partnership for Management of Maroon Bells Scenic Area — Pitkin County
- Forest Service plan would cut the public out of Maroon Bells management decision — Westwise
- The Maroon Bells belong to everyone. Why are we treating them like a business? — Westwise