The cost to rent a cabin or campground at some sites in the Flathead National Forest has increased.

According to information from Forest officials, the Flathead County Resource Advisory Committee and U.S. Forest Service Northern Regional Office approved fee changes for 12 rental cabins and two campgrounds in Flathead National Forest in May.

The changes come as part of a regional effort to better align prices with the services and amenities the areas provide. Most existing rental fees at Flathead National Forest have not been changed for over 15 years, with some dating back to 1999.

User fees for campgrounds and rental cabins are collected under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, with 95% of the fees returned to the Forest for maintenance and improvements. New furniture, painting, windows, roof repairs, bathroom facilities, bear-resistant storage boxes, picnic tables, and roadways are all improvements that the Forest accomplishes through rental fees.

Both cabin and campground reservations are in high demand. The fees are a vital supplement to annual appropriations and are essential to providing a quality visitor experience.

The fee changes will be reflected immediately on Recreation.gov, however existing reservations will not be modified. The new fees for Lindbergh Lake Campground will not begin until the summer of 2021.

The accompanying graphic indicates which cabins and campsites have had fee increases.