Forest Service offers fee-free access to day-use recreation areas for National Get Outdoors Day

By Shannon Weidemann (McKone) on Thursday, June 9th, 2022 in Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories

EASTERN OREGON – (Release from U.S. Forest Service) Connect with the outdoors this Saturday, June 11, when the U.S. Forest Service waives fees at recreation sites designed for day-use on National Get Outdoors Day!

National Get Outdoors Day (or “GO Day”) is an annual event that encourages healthy, active outdoor fun by introducing children and first-time participants to outdoor recreation opportunities close to home.

The fee waiver applies at day-use areas managed by the Forest Service, including picnic areas, boat ramps, visitor centers and interpretive sites, and at trailheads used to access the nearly 25,000 miles of trails on 16 National Forests and Grasslands in Washington and Oregon, and in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

In all, the Forest Service manages 24 million acres of national forest lands in the Pacific Northwest and more than 3,000 world-class outdoor recreation areas, facilities, and programs.

Forest Service fees provide a sustainable source of funding for recreation, with most funds used to maintain or improve recreation facilities and services where they are collected.

Overnight activities, including camping, cabin rentals, or other permits, are not included in the fee waiver.

Fees will continue be charged at recreation sites operated by private concessionaires on Forest Service lands, unless the concessionaire chooses to waive fees.

No fees are charged at any time on 98 percent of national forests and grasslands.

To find a recreation site near you, visit our interactive recreation map. Looking for a more portable version? We’ve got an app for that!

Find more information about recreation opportunities, including the operating status of specific recreation sites, on each forest’s website. Click here for a list of forests in Washington and Oregon. Select a forest, then click the “Visit Us” tab and select “Recreation.”

For information about day passes, annual passes, and interagency annual passes valid for use at Forest Service recreation sites, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r6/passes-permits/recreation.

As you head outdoors, Know Before You Go. Leave No Trace, and Tread Lightly to protect our natural resources for other visitors and for future generations.

Practice fire safety during outdoors activities. Dragging chains, motorized equipment, vehicles, and campfires are all potential sources of wildfires. Learn more about wildfire prevention and fire safety at SmokeyBear.com.

Fire is a natural part of many northwest forest ecosystems; post-fire risks include falling trees, rockfall, flooding and mudslides, and these risks increase for up to a year following a fire. Find out more about Burned Area Safety hazards and how to avoid them on our website.

For more information about the U.S. Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/r6.