Recreation fees waived for King holiday

The public may visit federal recreation day-use sites for free on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday – Monday, Jan. 21.

The fee-free day honors the legacy of the civil rights leader and his work.

The administrative fee waiver of recreation-use fees applies to federal recreation lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, as well as by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation.

It 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. Those using SnoParks that day must have SnoPark permits.

For Washington, visit http://www.parks.wa.gov/winter/permits/

For Oregon, visit http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/vehicle/sno_park_permits.shtml

Federal agencies are authorized to charge standard amenity fees, commonly known as day-use fees, at recreation sites in the Northwest. Most of those fees help maintain the sites on which the fees are collected.

This fee waiver applies to day-use fees at Forest Service recreation sites across Oregon and Washington. This 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 will not be waived.

Visitors to national forests will not pay fees on the following dates in 2013:

National Trails Day– June 1, 2013

National Get Outdoors Day– June 8, 2013

National Public Lands Day -September 28, 2013

Veterans Day Weekend -November 9-11, 2013