Army Corps of Engineers Waives Day-Use Fees At Recreation Areas For The Weekend

MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — Outdoor fun in South Dakota will be a little more affordable this weekend, thanks to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The agency is waiving day-use fees from Friday through Sunday at all 2,800 recreation areas nationwide that it oversees. The waiver applies to boat launches and swimming beaches, but camping fees and renting out a group picnic shelter are excluded.

For anyone taking advantage, just remember that fireworks are strictly prohibited on federal lands. Lighting off any shells can result in a fine or other stricter penalties, especially with the severe drought that is affecting most of southeast South Dakota.

USACE recreation areas within a couple hours’ drive of Mitchell include Lake Andes and nearby Lake Francis Case, Lake Sharpe near Fort Thompson, Lewis and Clark Lake by Yankton, and Lake Madison to the northeast.