Passes
Before you plan an activity on national forest lands, please check whether or not you need a pass or permit. Many of the facilities and services are free; however, some activities require fees or permits to help maintain, manage, and improve the amenities. The majority of the recreation fees collected stay on the forest and go right back into improving the recreational opportunities visitors use: camping sites, shelters, trails and more.
Currently Not Available – Expected to reopen a limited number of campsites in at a future date.
*Exact date is pending.
All school groups are required to make a reservation prior to visiting El Yunque National Forest. Click here for more information.
There are several Interagency passes available that are honored nationwide at all Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Fish & Wildlife Service sites charging entrance or standard amenity fees. These passes are honored at El Portal de El Yunque:
- Annual Pass: Available to anyone – has an annual charge.
- Every Kid Outdoors Pass: Free to any 4th grader (or 10 year-old for those who are in alternative school environments) who completes the education material on the Every Kid Outdoors website
- Military Annual Pass: Free for active military personnel and their dependents.
- Senior Pass: Available in an annual and lifetime pass for those 62 years of age or older – has a charge.
- Access Pass: A free lifetime pass available to those that have a medical determination and documentation of blindness or permanent disability.
- Volunteer Pass: Annual free pass provided to those that have completed 250 hours of volunteer work on public lands.
Visitors with inter-institutional passes pay a $4.00 entrance fee (regular admission is $8.00). El Yunque Portal is considered an Expanded Amenity Site; visitors with passes pay for additional services offered at the center.
Passes can be purchased online through the U.S. Geological Survey website. The following link provides a list of locations where the pass is issued: Pass Issuance List. For more information on annual passes: Annual Passes.
***Standard amenity fee: Fee charged for use of Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service, and Land Reclamation facilities, which have a combination of basic amenities: picnic tables, trash receptacles, restrooms, developed parking, interpretive signage, and security.
***Extended Services Fee: Fee charged for “extra” services that are not the basic entrance or standard service fees. Examples: camping areas and guided tours.
Each year, the Forest Service offers days when the public can enjoy for free the sites the agency manages. The Forest Service waives recreation fees at most day-use sites during these designated free days. The Forest Service's mission is to maintain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. Participation by concession-operated sites may vary.
Save these dates on your calendar:
- January: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- February: President's Day
- March: International Day of Forests
- June: National Get Outdoors Day
- September: National Public Lands Day
- November: Veterans Day