Yargo bike fees going up despite protest

“Beginning March 1, a $2 daily or $25 annual pass will be required at Fort Yargo, Hard Labor Creek and Unicoi state parks. The existing $3 trail fee at Fort Mountain State Park will not change.”

As a result of bikers’ protests, Kelley did make two changes to her original proposal. She dropped from 40 to 20 the number of hours that bikers must volunteer in order to get free annual passes.

She also changed the requirement for mandatory check-ins at the ranger’s office for every visit. That now will apply only to bikers purchasing daily passes. Bikers with annual trail passes will not have to check in, the press release states.

The new fee has particularly infuriated members of the Yargo Area Bikers Association who, with the state’s permission, built both a 13-mile trail and a new one-mile children’s trail at the local park. The volunteers also maintain the trails year round, and even buy their own tools for the trails’ upkeep.

YABA founder Steve Gordon said the association might not be so generous in the days ahead.

“I think we’re going to put a little bit of the burden on the state now that they are bringing money in,” he said.

For the full story, see the Feb. 1 issue of the Barrow Journal.