Proposed Upgrades Focus On Fremont Lake
Public comment sought through Jan. 14 on district proposals
by Joy Ufford

The Pinedale District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest is proposing a number of “recreation development projects” around Fremont Lake to address health and safety issues, enhance water quality protection for the town of Pinedale and upgrade facilities. The series of proposed projects includes upgrading existing developed facilities, roads, parking areas and modifying travel management and regulations, according to a Dec. 13 document sent out by Pinedale District Ranger Tom Peters.

“The proposed projects will increase recreational opportunities and improve facilities to “better serve the recreating public and protect natural resources in this area,” Peters wrote.

“Increased visitor capacity and use within this area is not an objective,” he added.

“Preliminary issue topics” covered in the letter include protection of water quality, cultural resources, the lake’s “visual quality” and a critical mule deer migration corridor directly south of Fremont Lake.

Because Fremont Lake is the “unfiltered municipal drinking water source for the Town of Pinedale” as well as a “popular site for boating, fishing and swimming, projects being proposed include moving or upgrading vault toilets, converting the Stuart Flat Dispersed Area to day-use only, removing or consolidating existing boat ramps, docks and launch sites.

Fremont Lake Campground is the subject of a proposed project to update the facility, built in the 1950s, according to Peters.

“This 54-unit campground, constructed in the 1950s, was originally designed for tent camping and small camp trailers,” the letter says. The campground is slated for redesign and enlargement to accommodate 50 to 55 RV and trailer sites with pull-through parking pads and a realignment and widening of the existing access roads. Other proposed changes include adding a large-group site, adding walking/biking lanes, replacing several lakeshore sites with day-use access parking spots, replacing grills and picnic tables to meet ADA standards and building hiking trails to the shore and toilets.

The Sandy Beach Swim and Picnic Area will get some upgrades that are designed “to achieve a CCC-era theme.”

“The Sandy Beach Picnic Area was originally constructed as a campground in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCCV) and converted to a day-use picnic site in the 1950s,” Peters said.

The beach parking lot will be removed, seeded and rebuilt and the site’s CCC-era stoves will be reconstructed pending approval by the State Historic Preservation Office.

Other proposals include building a rock breakwater at the Lower Fremont Boat Site, building ADA-compliant facilities and access, installing interpretative trails from the CCC Ponds to Fremont Lake Dam and creating canoe/kayak access above the dam parking area along Pine Creek.

To protect water quality and cultural values, the Pinedale District also proposes prohibiting camping within 200 feet of the lakeshore and allowing dogs within 200 feet of the south shore of Fremont Lake, and developing a sign plan that calls “attention to unique historic and geologic themes and providing adequate information, in coordination with the Town ofPinedale.”

Lauren McKeever, Town of Pinedale mayor’s assistant, said Tuesday that she had not had a chance to review the entire proposal. “The Town of Pinedale has scheduled a meeting with the Forest Service to discuss the proposal later this week,” she said.

Copies of the complete Fremont Lake Recreation Proposed Action summary are available at the Pinedale Ranger District Office, 29 East Fremont Lake Rd. (beside Faler’s). For questions, contact Cindy Stein at the Pinedale District office, 367-5717. The public is welcome to submit written comments, concerns, support or opposition, which will become part of a permanent record and will be addressed in the project’s environmental analysis.

Written, faxed, hand-delivered and electronic comments will be accepted through Jan. 14 and must be submitted to: Pinedale District Ranger, Pinedale Ranger District, 29 East Fremont Lake rd., PO Box 220, Pinedale, WY 82941-0220; fax: 307-367-5750, or in rich-text format or Word to comments-intermtn-bridger-teton-pinedale@fs.fed.us.