The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation is preparing to develop a new 20-year management plan for Willoughby State Forest, and the plan may include charging fees for parking and access to hiking trails and the Lake Willoughby south beach.
The current management plan was adopted in 2004 and has been amended several times, most recently in 2025. In 2017, after a proposal to turn the forest into a state park, hearings were held and the Agency of Natural Resources said the park would remain free. However, at a press conference last week, the agency indicated that fees may be charged in the future to help maintain trails, the south beach, parking lots, bathrooms, and attendants.
FPR will hold a public hearing process as part of drafting the long-range plan. While no fee amounts or specific timeline have been announced, the agency is exploring the option as a way to fund upkeep of the popular recreational area.
Originally reported by Newport Daily Express.
Photo: Niranjan Arminius (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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