Public campgrounds: Are they profitable? [Outdoor recreation, forest uses]

A detailed cost analysis on 111 USDA Forest Service (Region 6) campgrounds in the Pacific Northwest indicated that managing the average campground costs from $0.28 to $3.01 per recreation visitor-day (RVD), the amount depending on level of development. Revenue per RVD ranged from 0 to $0.27. Campers are currently being subsidized $12 million in taxes annually in this region alone--from $2.07 to $22.27 for an average family (3.7 people) per 24 hours. Cost implications of four possible management goals reflecting varying levels of subsidization (from 0 to total) are examined.