Forest Service waives fees on Presidents’ Day

The U.S. Forest Service will waive fees at day-use recreation sites in Oregon and Washington on Monday, Feb. 15 in honor of Presidents’ Day.

“Our fee-free days touch on every season and serve as an enticement to new and repeat visitors to come out and enjoy their national forests and grasslands,” said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. “These public lands offer rich experiences for everyone, from the avid sportsman to the casual hiker or nature observer.”

This fee waiver includes many picnic areas, boat launches, trailheads and visitor centers. Concession operations will continue to charge fees unless the permit holder wishes to participate.

Fees for camping, cabin rentals, heritage expeditions, or other permits still apply. The fee waiver does not apply to SnoParks although they might be located on national public lands. The SnoPark permit program is sponsored by the States of Oregon and Washington.

No fees are charged at any time on 98 percent of national forests and grasslands, and approximately two-thirds of developed recreation sites in national forests and grasslands can be used for free. Check with your local forest or grassland or on Recreation.gov to see if your destination charges a fee. Go online to find a national forest or grassland near you.

Mark your calendars for the following Forest Service fee-free days in 2016:
–National Trails Day, June 4, 2016
–National Get Outdoors Day, June 11, 2016
–National Public Lands Day, September 24, 2016
–Veterans Day, November 11, 2016

The Pacific Northwest Region consists of 16 National Forests, 59 District Offices, a National Scenic Area, and a National Grassland comprising 24.7 million acres in Oregon and Washington and employing approximately 3,550 people. To learn more about the U.S. Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/r6