U.S. Forest Service considers e-bike fees at Maroon Bells

To address a $380,000 revenue gap in the Maroon Bells area, the U.S. Forest Service is looking for additional ways to raise money to keep up with operating costs. 

It is currently the only partner that helps maintain the wilderness area at a financial loss; their operating expenses were $600,000 in 2024 with only $220,000 of revenue, leaving them with a $380,000 negative balance on the year. 

During a Tuesday, May 6, Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners work session, Jennifer Schuler, deputy district ranger for the Aspen-Sopris Ranger District of the White River National Forest, proposed a way to begin to address that deficit. 

That proposal was a new fee for electric bicycles traveling to the Maroon Bells wilderness parking area, similar to how motorcycles are charged a $5 fee. The Forest Service already views e-bikes as motorized vehicles.

According to Forest Service data, the agency raised $79,000 from shuttle fees in 2024, $143,000 from drive-up and parking fees, but $0 from bikes. 

The shuttle revenue comes from 65 cents per ticket that the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority voluntarily donates to the Forest Service. Currently, cars are charged a $10 entry and access fee. 

The money raised from the new charge would be unlikely to cover the $380,000 revenue gap. In 2024 only 8,100 e-bikes visited the Maroon Bells. If the same number of e-bikes visited this year and were charged $5, it would only raise $40,500.

“I understand the deficit,” said Commissioner Patti Clapper. “This puts you in a funding gap of $380,000. The total revenue from e-bike rentals is a pittance of that amount.”

One possible way to address this gap would be to raise the fee amount, which Commissioner Greg Poschman suggested.

“If a tourist is coming here to go to the Maroon Bells, I think they can pay ten bucks. I think that that fee could possibly go up,” said Poschman. “Why five dollars?”

The $5 fee is based on calculations of “amenity fees” from the Recreation Enhancement Act, which make it difficult to change, according to Schuler. That, however, does not prevent additional charges on top of that fee, like processing charges. 

The Forest Service laid out potential models for the fee that have been used in other popular recreation areas in the past. On Vail Pass, local snowmobile rental shops buy bulk day-passes for their users, which are given to the renters along with their snowmobile rental. 

A similar model could be used in partnership with local rental e-bike rental shops. 

That model would leave private users of e-bikes out of the equation. Commissioner Jeffrey Woodruff suggested addressing a portion of that issue by treating it similar to how Aspen Ski Company sells “uphill” passes to tour up their resorts in the winter time. 

“We all proudly pay for our uphill armbands,” said Woodruff. “If there is some way to treat locals like locals around e-bikes, that would be a welcome addition. Like, we’re proud of carrying the Maroon Bells Pass.” 

The Forest Service is still looking into the feasibility of this approach. If they move forward, the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority will put forward a “Request to Proposal” to find contractors and vendors to help create and operate the infrastructure to make the charge.