Special Forest Products: Berries
To help maintain sustainable huckleberry populations, permits are required for everyone who plans to harvest huckleberries and remove them from the forest, including those who harvest for personal consumption.
An area in the Sawtooth Berry Fields was reserved in 1932 by a handshake agreement between Yakama Indian Chief William Yallup and Gifford Pinchot National Forest Supervisor J.R. Bruckart for use by American Indians. Please pay close attention to signs indicating areas reserved for use by American Indians. By doing so, you are respecting the culture of another people.
Harvest of berries is prohibited in Wilderness areas, the legislated Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Experimental Forest, Research Natural Areas or other areas that are administratively closed. A free Special Forest Products Harvest Area map is available online and at Ranger District offices. This map displays the areas where you may harvest berries.
Check with your local Ranger District office for additional information.
More information about huckleberries.
Charge Use/Commercial Berry Permits
Update: There will be no Commercial Huckleberry Permits sold in 2025.
The Gifford Pinchot National Forest will not offer commercial huckleberry permits for the 2025 season. Personal use gathering will continue under existing guidelines, which allow 1 gallon per day, and up to 3 gallons per year (see Free Use Berry Permits below).
The Forest Service will continue conversations with impacted parties to develop long term management solutions for commercial huckleberry picking. The 2025 season will allow the agency to assess conditions without commercial harvest and discuss strategic restoration efforts to improve huckleberry sustainability with the wild food industry, local partners, and tribal governments. A final decision on commercial huckleberry harvesting beyond 2025 will be informed by ongoing assessments and conversations this fall.
For more information about Commercial Huckleberry Permits see the news release: Change to Commercial Huckleberry Harvesting in 2025.
See the Advisory: No work for commercial huckleberry pickers on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for the 2025 season
Free Use Berry Permits
Permits for personal use are free and are only available online. Get a Free Use Permit online for gathering berries. **ALERT: The online permit system is not compatible with Internet Explorer.
- A person may pick up to one gallon of berries per day, and up to three gallons of berries per year with a free use permit.
- Free use berries may not be sold or bartered.
- Free use permits are available year round but expire at the end of each calendar year.
- Print your permit; take it with you while you harvest; and enter on the permit the quantity of berries you harvest.
- Free Use Permits are not required for those under 18 years old.
- More information is at the free use permit Frequently Asked Questions
- More information on huckleberries
If you wish to sell berries or products made from berries or collect more than three gallons of berries in a year, you need a Charge Use (commercial) Permit.