Recreation Passes & Permits

The Forest Service offers places for hiking, biking, skiing, nature viewing, scenic drives, and for gathering forest products such as mushrooms, firewood, and Christmas trees. Many of the facilities and services associated with these opportunities are free. However, some do require fees or permits to help maintain, manage and improve your national forests and grasslands.

In general, you can purchase many of these passes and permits at any Forest Service office near you.

Forest Permits

Please select from the following options to learn more.

Boat Launch Permits

Annual boat launch pass $30; daily launch fee $6. Passes are available for purchase in advance via Recreation.gov or onsite at the boat ramp. If purchasing in advance, please print your pass and place it on your vehicle's dashboard. If purchasing at the boat ramp using scan and pay, please ensure you have the Recreation.gov mobile app downloaded before arrival for ease of purchase. The app is available for Android or iPhone. Scan and Pay functionality at the boat ramp is only available for a single day pass. Annual boat ramp passes may be purchased at the Willows office or by mail. You must download the request form and mail to Mendocino National Forest, 825 N. Humboldt Ave., Willows, CA 95988. Please allow two weeks for processing mail-in forms.

Campfire Permits

You can help protect the forest from wildfires by knowing and following rules for the safe use of fire. You must obtain a California campfire permit if you plan to build a campfire or use a stove, unless you are in a developed recreation area (campground or picnic area).

National Recreation Passes

Interagency Annual Pass 2019 - Every Kid Outdoors Interagency Annual Military Pass Annual Senior Pass Lifetime Senior Pass Interagency Access Pass Interagency Volunteer Pass
 

National passes are honored nationwide at Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service sites charging entrance or standard and expanded amenity fees.

There are several pass options to consider. To make the best choice on which pass to purchase, you should think about your recreation plans for the next year.

  • Your best value may be a single-day pass.
  • Or if you’re a frequent visitor to one or more sites, a multi-day pass or annual pass that covers a forest or region may be the best buy.
  • An Interagency Annual Pass may be your best value if you plan to visit many different federal lands across the nation that include lands managed by other federal agencies.
  • You may also qualify for one of the Interagency Lifetime Passes (Interagency Senior Pass or Interagency Access Pass).
  • The "Every Kid Outdoors" pass gives fourth graders free access to 2,000-plus federal recreation sites. Detailed information about that pass is available on the Every Kid Outdoors site.
  • Active military personnel and their dependents also qualify for an Interagency Annual Military Pass.

The USGS Store provides Frequently Asked Questions about Recreational Passes. For more information about permits and passes, see our national Recreation Fees and Passes website.

Note:

  • The National Annual Pass and Volunteer Pass do NOT include concessionaire services; however, concessionaires may honor the National Senior Pass and National Access Pass according to the terms of their current permit.
  • The National Recreation Passes are NOT valid for fees related to facility or equipment rental (cabins, lookouts, day/overnight group sites), special conservation programs, managed off-highway vehicle areas charging an expanded or special recreation permit fee, transportation systems, reservation services, or permits of any kind.

Highlights

  • Fee revenues make a difference
    Thank you. Your fees make a difference!

    National Forests in California are using recreation fee revenues to improve and enhance recreation opportunities. See how your fees have made a difference!