Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Passes & Permits

Interagency Recreation Passes

Update December 2006:

New Interagency Pass Program Will Help Public Enjoy Enhanced Recreation Sites on Public Lands. Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett and Under Secretary of Agriculture Mark Rey have announced a new interagency recreation pass that will benefit visitors to national public lands. The new pass, authorized by the Congress in 2004, combines the benefits of existing recreation passes from five federal agencies into one comprehensive pass, the “America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.”

The Forest Service offers many activities such as hiking, biking, skiing, camping, birding, using cabins, driving for pleasure, harvesting mushrooms, and gathering firewood. Many of the facilities and services associated with these opportunities are free. Some do require fees or permits to help maintain, manage and improve the amenities that you enjoy.

Interagency recreation passes are honored at many National Forest Fee Sites!

If you recreate frequently on federal lands such as National Forests, National Parks, Bureau of Land Management, or US Fish and Wildlife Service, the better value may be an Interagency Recreation Pass (formally the Golden Passports program) are also honored at these same locations.

Interagency Annual Pass

• Cost $80 Annually
• Honored nationwide at all U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Fish & Wildlife Service sites charging entrance or standard amenity fees.
• Valid for 12 months from the month of purchase. Expires the last day of the month punched.
• The Interagency Annual Pass has two signature lines and any two individuals may sign the pass. Both are considered pass holders.
• Admits pass holder and any accompanying passengers in a private non-commercial vehicle.
• At per person fee areas, admits pass holder and up to 3 persons. Persons 15 and younger are admitted free of charge.
• Frequent visitors of multiple federal agency lands may save money by buying an Interagency Annual Pass.
• Eighty percent of the purchase price is retained to support local recreation opportunities
• More information

Interagency Senior Pass

• Cost $10 Lifetime
• This pass is issued to citizens or permanent residents of the United States 62 years of age or older.
• Honored nationwide at all U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Fish & Wildlife Service sites charging entrance or standard amenity fees.
• Valid for pass holder's lifetime.
• Admits pass holder and any accompanying passengers in a private non-commercial vehicle.
• At per person fee areas, admits pass holder and up to 3 persons. Persons 15 and younger are admitted free of charge.
• Receives a 50% discount on some expanded amenity fees like campgrounds (does not include hookups for water/sewer/electricity), highly developed boat launches and swimming sites and for specialized interpretive services.
• More Information

Interagency Access Pass

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• Cost Free, lifetime
• This pass is issued to citizens or permanent residents of the United States who have a medical determination and documentation of blindness or permanent disability.
• Honored nationwide at all Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, US Fish & Wildlife Service sites charging entrance or standard amenity fees.
• Valid for pass holder's lifetime.
  Admits pass holder and any accompanying passengers in a private non-commercial vehicle.
• At per person fee areas, admits pass holder and up to 3 persons. Persons 15 and younger are admitted free of charge.
• Receives a 50% discount on some expanded amenity fees like campgrounds (does not include hookups for water/sewer/electricity), highly developed boat launches and swimming sites and for specialized interpretive services.
• More information including guidlines for eligibility.

Monument Pass

A Monument Pass is a per person pass, good for one day at each of the following recreational fee sites:

Washington State Parks Commission

• Mount St. Helens Visitor Center (at Silver Lake)

US Forest Service

• Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center Complex (including Coldwater Lake Recreation Area)*
• Johnston Ridge Observatory*

 

	Age	Single Site Fee	Multi-Site Fee	Winter Fees
	16 and older	$3 Adult Pass	$6 Adult Pass	$3 Single Site and $5 Multi-Site
	15 and under	Free	Free	Free

*Purchase of these passes, funds a large percentage of the operations and maintenance at the Visitor Centers.

Monument passes may be purchased at Monument Visitor Centers through the Northwest Interpretive Association.

Northwest Forest Pass

The Northwest Forest Pass is a per vehicle pass, good for one day ($5) or one year ($30) and is required at recreation facilities on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest where this fee is charged. Expect to need a Northwest Forest Pass where there are facilities, trails or services that the Forest Service provides to enhance your experience. The Northwest Forest Pass is not valid where other fees are charged, such as at concession-operated campgrounds or day-use sites or at Forest Service-operated campgrounds where a nightly camping fee is charged. The Northwest Forest Pass is sold at Forest Service Offices in the Pacific Northwest, numerous retail outlets, via the internet at www.naturenw.org,  www.publiclands.org,  www.wta.org, and by telephone at (800) 270-7504.

Special Forest Products Permits

• The term "special forest products" applies to Forest resources that are not associated with timber sale contracts. To ensure a lasting supply of special forest products, the Bureau of Land Management and the USDA Forest Service are working together to create uniform harvesting regulations on federally managed land in the Northwest. If you remove anything from federal land, you must have a "special forest products" permit. If you are removing a product for personal use, you must get a "personal use" permit. If you are pursuing a commercial venture, you must obtain a "commercial use" permit. Please check with the District Office nearest you, to obtain a complete list of "special forest products" and for information on where to obtain the permit you need. PERMITS ARE REQUIRED FOR GATHERING AND REMOVING ANY PRODUCT FROM THE FOREST.

Wilderness Regulation Permits

• Required to enter the following Wilderness areas on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest: Indian Heaven, Mt. Adams, Goat Rocks, William O. Douglas, Trapper Creek, Tatoosh, and Glacier View. (This includes the portion of the Goat Rocks and William O. Douglas Wildernesses on the Wenatchee National Forest.) Permits are used to collect accurate visitor information. There is no charge for these permits. The self-issuing permits are mandatory and are available at all trailheads leading into these Wildernesses, and (to take to the trailhead) at the Packwood and Naches Ranger Stations. No motorized or wheeled conveyances are allowed in any Wilderness. Copies of Wilderness Regulations are available at all Ranger Stations. Mechanized and motorized vehicles are not permitted in Wilderness areas. This includes SNOWMOBILES in the wintertime and BICYCLES anytime. Violators will be prosecuted.

Woodcutting Permits

• New conditions are: Permit is for personal household use only, and firewood cut under this permit shall not be sold, traded or given away. All firewood is designated by signing or marked with green paint. Check with the Forest Service office nearest your destination for the latest firewood area cutting list. Permits cost $5 per cord, with a minimum purchase of 2 cords. Maximum purchase is 10 cords or as designated by the district.

USDA Forest Service
Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Vancouver, WA
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument - Amboy, WA
Last Modified: Tuesday, 16 January 2007 at 16:48:12 EST