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Jun 12, 2007 9:43 am US/Mountain
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Fee Plan For Mt. Evans Road Upsets Some
by Rick Sallinger
MOUNT EVANS, Colo. (CBS4) ―
Drivers taking a trip up to the top of the Mount Evans Scenic Byway will now need to pay a fee only if they want to stop to look at wildlife on the way up or visit the rest rooms at the top.
The imposed fee from the U.S. Forest Service raises the question of whether there should be a charge for enjoying nature.
The plan is upsetting some travelers who dislike the fact that they could soon face a fine of $50 for stopping if they refuse to pay the $10 fee at the Echo Lake entrance station.
"Unfortunately, some of my employees up there are getting verbally abused," Lori Denton of the Forest Service said.
The toll has been around for a decade, but what new this year is what drivers are being told.
"The fee is $10 per car if you are planning on using the area, but if you are planning on traveling nonstop in and out of the area then the fee is waived," Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman Stacey Stegman said.
Coloradan Roz Brown said he thinks the rule won't help Colorado tourism.
"There's a pressure put on tourists from out of state," he said.
"It seems like they're kind of tricking you into paying it."
Summit Lake, a stop along the scenic byway, is owned but the city of Denver, but CBS4 on Monday found forest rangers there checking to make sure all the cars had the blue sticker on them indicating they had paid the fee.
"We're providing a service and we're also protecting the fragile ecosystem that's up there," Denton said.
The Mount Evans Scenic Byway reaches a higher elevation than any road in the United States. The parking lot at the summit is located at 14,126 feet.
The Forest Service brings in $300,000 annually from the Mount Evans fees. The money goes for improvements to the area.
Directions To Mount Evans:
- Take Interstate 70 to the Idaho Springs exit and follow Highway 103 to Echo Lake.
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