Big Changes Regarding Lanier Ramp Fees

Are you used to pulling up at a boat ramp on Lake Lanier, getting your envelope out of the box, sticking in $5 and going fishing? If so, you need to know about big changes that took effect at some U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ramps on April 1.

Citing safety reasons and an increasing problem with vandalism, the corps said there is currently no longer an option to pay a parking or launching fee in cash at one of their parks.

Right now, you can still pay a day-use fee, but only with a credit or debit card, at the following parks: Buford Dam Park, Burton Mill, Keiths Bridge, Lanier Park, Little Hall, Long Hollow, Lower Pool East, Lower Pool West, Old Federal Day Use, Two Mile, Van Pugh North and West Bank

Gone are the days of paying cash at a Lanier boat ramp and going fishing. Now, you’ll need an annual pass or pay by the day using a credit or debit card.

The price is still $2 for walk-in users, $5 for parking and $5 for boat launch. Each of the above parks has a machine that accepts credit and debit cards for payment.

At the below parks, there is no way to pay a daily fee, and an annual pass will be required. You must have one of the following passes at the below parks: an annual pass, an America the Beautiful senior pass, an America the Beautiful access pass or an America the Beautiful annual pass. These parks include: East Bank Park, Tidwell Park, Vann’s Tavern Park, Thompson Bridge Park, Little River Park and Balus Creek Park. The office selling these passes will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It is located at 1050 Buford Dam Road in Buford. You can, however, get a seven-day temporary annual pass for these parks by paying with a credit or debit card at one of the machines at the other parks.

Annual passes must be obtained at the corps office or through mail at: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Sidney Lanier, 1050 Buford Dam Road, Buford, GA 30515. You must include in the request: your name, return address, phone number and a copy of your  seven-day temporary annual pass (if you purchased one of these).

The following 14 parks are free, with no fees charged: Lower Overlook, Upper Overlook, Mountain View, Belton Bridge, Sardis Creek, Simpson, Robinson, Bolding Mill, Duckett Mill, Toto Creek, Nix Bridge Park, Thompson Creek, Little Ridge and West Bank Overlook.

According to Nick Baggett, the corps natural resources manager for Lanier, the changes were made for several reasons. Their rangers and hourly personnel collect more than $700,000 annually from the pay boxes, and they worry about their safety with that amount of cash.

Other reasons for the changes are that there have been problems with vandalism and theft at the cash boxes, and it has been increasing.

Baggett also said this method would save tax money in the long run since they will not have to pay people to collect the money, and it cuts down on the bookkeeping hours.