Black Hills NF CG Prospectus Q A Batch 1.pdf

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Black Hills National Forest Campground Prospectus Questions and Answers – Batch 1

1. Which sites use Black Hills Energy or Black Hills Electric Coop for electricity?

There are multiple electricity providers / companies in the Black Hills, and most companies have expressed the ability to service most sites across the Forest. There are no specific areas or territories for individual companies; however, there may be existing electrical lines in developed recreation sites that are tied specifically to a certain company.

2. Which sites use Anderson Excavation & Sanitation or Hills Septic for liquid & solid waste disposal?

There are multiple sanitation services / companies in the Black Hills, and most companies have expressed the ability to service most sites across the Forest. There are no specific areas or territories for individual companies.

3. Which sites use Golden West Telecommunications or Century Link for phone service?

At present, the current concessionaire only uses land lines in select locations that lack cell coverage.

Because of this, many existing phone lines have not been used and/or maintained for many years.

Unfortunately, there is no specific list of sites readily available for phone service companies. For additional information and/or to research this topic further, please feel free to contact the following three companies:

Century Link Golden West Telecommunications Rushmore Telephone Company

4. Can you tell me the company that currently has the concession permit?

The current concessionaire is Forest Recreation Management (FRM).

5. Are there fee-related specific signage posters, templates, and/or suppliers that are being expected by the Forest?

The Forest has developed new fee-related signage for the orientation boards at campgrounds, day-use areas, and other developed recreation sites. The Forest will gladly share its templates with the selected concessionaire for their use and/or modifications. Related to local fabricators, there are a host of businesses in the Black Hills Region that provides these services. The Forest has used Simpson’s Printing, Sign Express, and Summit Signs and Supply to name a few.

NOTE: The sign shown below is the current template being used by the Black Hills National Forest for off-season camping, which is geared toward campers in October through April. It complements the requirements of the Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) of showing that a fee is required, fee amount, how to pay the fee, and which passes are honored at the campground. This is only being provided as a sample of an available template that can be modified by a concessionaire.

https://www.centurylink.com/local/sd/rapid-city https://www.goldenwest.com/ https://mt-rushmore.net/

6. Does the Forest offer some flexibility when spending GT Funds on projects? For instance, can the concessionaire use GT-related funds on new amenities?

The Forest has traditionally worked very closely with the concessionaire on the planning of GT-funded projects each calendar year. Recent projects have included significant renovations of campgrounds and day-use areas, upgrading existing amenities, and adding new features to complement visitor expectations.

However, the Forest follows all guidance / requirements on the use of GT Funds, and when questions arise, the Forest will request guidance from regional staff / subject-matter experts. See Appendix 12 Potential Government Maintenance, Reconditioning, Renovation, and Improvement Projects for a list of potential projects of interest to the Black Hills National Forest.

7. Can the Forest provide a number of campground hosts and which campgrounds currently have hosts?

In the interest of preserving the current concessionaire’s operational information, the actual current host counts and locations have not been provided. Appendix 9 Minimum Content of the Proposed Annual Operating Plan section 2b. Personnel includes a table with the Forest-recommended host counts and locations.

8. Are there any issues with servicing toilets on the Forest, such as locations in remote areas with limited road access?

No, the Forest has not experienced any issues with toilet pumping, cleaning, and/or other servicing. NOTE: The Sturgis (Motorcycle) Rally occurs the first full week of August each calendar year, which often creates increased traffic on the roadways. Some companies prefer to avoid this week with any services, so the Forest simply plans accordingly.

9. Can the Forest provide the revenue for each site per month of a normal operational season?

No, the current concessionaire does not maintain these financial records in a manner that makes for efficient / easy access. The prospectus only requires annual gross revenue amounts, which have been provided in the prospectus.

10. Is the Forest open to additional visitor use opportunities, such as the development of camper cabins, glamping options, etc.?

Yes. Various amenities have been discussed over the past three to five years, specifically with the enhancement of group areas, such as Sheridan Lake North Group Campground.

11. Which camper number is used per site? As an example, the Forest Service uses five campers per site, whereas it appears that the Forest currently allows the concessionaire to host eight campers per site. What number should we plan for?

Years ago, the Forest required the current concessionaire to adjust their camper numbers to include eight campers per site. However, this creates potential issues with the inclusion of future amenities, such as toilets, as the agency only provides guidance for five campers per site.

Because of this, the Forest is moving back to allowing up to five campers per site to ensure alignment with agency guidelines.

12. Are there any safety-related situations for recreational sites on the Forest?

Yes, Cook Lake Recreation Area in the Bearlodge Ranger District offers an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for a landslide (geologic) situation.

13. Does the current concessioner have issues getting a contractor to pump toilets? Are there contractors around the area to pump toilets?

See response to question 8 regarding issues with toilet pumping. See prospectus section I.F. on pages 4-5 for potential contractors in the area for a variety of utilities including liquid and solid waste disposal.

14. How many acres of mowing are required at each campground? Does the Forest provide the concessioner with any areas that should NOT be mowed to prevent damage to resources?

Related to mowing acreages, this information is not available. Some sites do include heritage resources that require additional protection and/or spontaneous wildlife situations that warrant immediate attention. The Forest actively communicates these instances with the concessionaire.

See prospectus section II.O. Other Pertinent Information for more information.

15. Are there local sign companies that can produce signs within the Forest Service standard for campgrounds?

See response to question #5.

16. What is the off-season/winter usage for the campgrounds?

Per Appendix 9 Minimum Content of the Proposed Annual Operating Plan section 1, “The Forest Service intends to operate some sites during the off-season”. Mid-September through late October (weather permitting) often witnesses campground usage at various sites across the Forest. Through casual observations, Sheridan Lake, Bismark Lake, Roubaix Lake, and Cook Lake Campgrounds experience usage by local “weekend” campers and recreational enthusiasts.

Other campgrounds, such as Sundance Horse Camp, Bearlodge, and Redbank Springs experience off-season hunting parties and/or hunting camps. It has also been observed that Rod and Gun, Timon, and Hanna Campgrounds witness campers in Spearfish Canyon, based on the timing of fall foliage (colors). Camping starts to decrease in number / units in November, with very little off-season camping from December through late March. In April and May (weather permitting), the usage is similar to September and October – mostly local “weekend” campers and spring breakers.

17. How does the current concessioner manage hazard trees in campground? Has the 1% hazard tree fund in GT been used in the past?

Current Forest Service requirements for hazard trees are defined in prospectus section II.O.

Other Pertinent Information and Appendix 9 section 16d. Felling of Hazard Trees. Hazard trees are assessed on an annual basis, therefore the utilization of GT Offset is determined on an annual basis.

18. What amenities are available at the host sites?

See Appendix 20 Description of Developed Recreation Sites and Facilities tables 1-4 which include columns titled “Host Site Amenities” to identify what amenities are present at designated host sites.

19. What is the day use fee at recreation sites? (Specifically asked about Roubaix) Roubaix has a day use fee of $5. See Appendix 20 Description of Developed Recreation Sites and Facilities where each written description of the sites includes an accompanying table identifying 2024 and 2025 fees. Day Use fees, where applicable, have been included in these tables.

20. Why are there a limited number of host sites?

Designated host sites often include additional amenities such as holding tanks, electrical hookups, phone lines, etc. Concessionaires are welcome to propose utilizing additional sites within campgrounds as host sites outside of those which are ‘designated’. See Appendix 20 Description of Developed Recreation Sites and Facilities tables 1-4 which identify sites where designated host units are present and their associated amenities. See Appendix 9 Minimum Content of the Proposed Annual Operating Plan section 2b. Personnel which includes a table with the Forest-recommended host counts and locations.

21. What is the person capacity per site?

See prospectus section II.K. Camping Unit Capacity for person capacity at each group site and day-use site. See Appendix 20 Description of Developed Recreation Sites and Facilities where each written description of the sites includes an accompanying table identifying the number of camping units. Per the response to question 11, there are 5 persons permitted per each single site.

22. What is the yearly revenue for each campground?

See response to question 9.

23. For the Mystic RD sites (Pactola, Sheridan, Deerfield), how many host sites are available at each, and what amenities are provided?

See Appendix 20 Description of Developed Recreation Sites and Facilities tables 1-4 which identify sites where designated host units are present and their associated amenities.

24. Can the Forest Service provide mowing requirements by site, including acreage?

See response to question #14.

25. Please provide site-level revenue and occupancy percentages for 2022, 2023, and 2024.

The current concessionaire does not maintain these financial records in a manner that makes for efficient / easy access. The prospectus only requires annual gross revenue amounts, which have been provided in the prospectus. See prospectus section I.A. on page 1 for the gross revenue values.

26. Which sites have dumpsters? For those without, how is waste managed?

See Appendix 3 Inventory of Government-Furnished Property which identifies which sites have Forest-owned garbage bins and/or dumpsters present at the site. For sites without a Forest-owned bin or dumpster present, the concessionaire has made arrangements with garbage collection service providers in the area for rental of bins to be placed at designated sites.

27. Are there any non-fee visitor areas the permittee would be required to manage? If so, which ones?

None of the sites in the prospectus, including those currently operated without a fee, must be kept fee free. The Forest may not require the concessioner to provide free services for which the concessioner cannot recover costs. Proposals of fees for these sites may be included in the applicants’ proposed fees to the public.

28. Please share the full rate schedule (including day-use and other fees) for all sites from

2020 to 2025.

The first fee increase in nearly ten years was proposed by the current concessionaire in April 2022 in response to a number of factors including COVID scenarios with supplies and services.

These rates were reviewed and approved by the Forest for implementation in 2023. In October 2024, the concessionaire requested another fee rate increase for multiple sites, which was approved for implementation in 2025. All current rates for concessionaire-managed sites are listed on the Forest website, including their seasonal pass. The full rate schedule is not available for pre-2022.

29. Are any of the existing fee booths owned by the Forest?

The current concessionaire owns and maintains all the fee booths within their operations, except for the structures at Sheridan Lake North and South and Horsethief Lake Campground.

Black Hills National Forest Campground Prospectus