The Arapaho National Forest currently charges a $10 amenity fee to visit Mount Evans via Highway 5. This is an illegal fee, and according to the FLREA (Federal Lands and Recreation Enhancement Act) law as it is currently written, you are NOT OBLIGATED to pay the fee. If you decide not to pay the fee and receive a "notice of non-compliance" from an intimidating Forest Ranger, simply accept the notice and ask to be left in peace.
Do not pay the fee, as the Forest Service has not prosecuted anyone for non-payent of the fee, which they know is not in compliance with the law.
The fee covers the use of amenities. However, the only amenity that would require a fee is the Mount Goliath Visitor Center. If you decide to visit this facility, you should pay the fee. The facility has guided hikes and interactive displays and restroom facilities. Only you can determine if this amenity is worth your ten dollar fee.
The Summit Lake area is a
Denver Mountain Park, and the Forest Service is not authorized to collect fees for the use of this facility. The summit area is designated as an
OVERLOOK, a status stated in the FLREA rules which does not warrant a fee. All undeveloped pullouts along Highway 5 are also
undesignated and the fee does not apply to them either.
Highway 5 is not owned or maintained by the Forest Service, but by the Colorado Department of transportation. None of your fee goes toward maintenance of the road.
When you are informed by the entrance fee attendant that stopping anywhere along the road to take pictures or go hiking requires that you pay a fee,
he is incorrect and acting in violation of the FLREA rules. Do not argue with the attendant. Simply choose to pay the fee if you intend on visiting the Goliath Nature Center, or you can simply state that you are going to just drive the road and proceed. Again, you are not obligated to pay the fee, particularly if you are accessing the Mount Evans Wilderness.
It is illegal to collect fees from people simply accessing a wilderness area. A civil lawsuit is pending on the matter.