NY Official Raises Idea Of Charging Hiking Fee

Crown Point, N.Y. (AP) - Going for a hike in the Adirondacks doesn't cost anything, but one elected official in the North Country thinks New York state should start charging for the privilege.
   
Crown Point Town Supervisor Charles Harrington tells the Press-Republican of Plattsburgh (http://bit.ly/R41UdO ) that he wants to explore the idea of charging a fee for using public hiking trails in the Adirondacks. He says the fees could generate significant revenue for the state.
   
Harrington says hikers could buy state-issued permits using an Internet-based payment system.
   
Other local officials are against the plan, saying it would discourage people from visiting the region.
   
State-owned hiking trails are administered by the Department of Environmental Conservation. A DEC official told the newspaper that there hasn't been any proposal to charge hiking fees.