Pay To Play On Snake River?

Above, the raft trip I took on the Snake River in 2019.

Five years ago, while in the Jackson, Wyoming area, I took a raft trip down the Snake River south of Jackson. I had an excellent time and was pleased I was able to do so a year after a near-heart attack in Wells, Nevada. My cardiologist was also pleased when I told him about the trip.

Now, it seems that the Snake River is so popular that fees are being considered for people who partake in float trips. In other words, pay to play.

Above, another photo of our raft trip on the Snake River in 2019.

Jackson Hole Community Radio (KHOL) reported:

The Upper Snake River south of Jackson could become the first river in Wyoming to require a fee for access.

The Bridger-Teton National Forest held a meeting last week in Jackson for the proposed fees to give the public another chance to weigh in. If the program goes into place, floaters would need to pay to access the stretch between the mouth of the Hoback River to just upstream of the Alpine Junction.

David Cernicek, with the Bridger-Teton National Forest, said the fees are necessary to manage the river due to increased recreational use.

“Our funding is very limited on the river,” Cernicek said. “And we’re not really able to afford the river anymore. Our expenses exceed our costs in providing what we do down in Snake River Canyon.”

The national forest says the river can see over 200,000 people every season, and the fees are needed for maintaining and improving infrastructure like boat ramps, bathrooms and parking areas, among other needs.

The forest would charge $5 per vehicle per day and $3 per person for outfitters and larger groups over 15. Floaters could also choose to buy a season pass for $40, or get a discount for buying two season passes at the same time.

To read more, go here.