Our offices are open to visitors Monday - Friday. Staff are available to assist you by phone or email during regular business hours. If you wish to purchase passes or permits, please call ahead. 

The Forest Supervisor's Office is an information and administrative office located in Gainesville, outside of the Forest. Recreation passes and permits may be purchased on Wednesdays and Thursdays at this location. When you are ready to recreate on your national forests and grasslands, determine if your plans require a recreation fee and what types of passes are available. Many recreation sites and activities on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests do not require a fee at all. No matter where you are going on federal public lands, take advantage of the type of pass that will work best for you.

Reservations may be required in some campgrounds. Reservations can be made online or call 1-877-444-6777 (toll free).

 

Which Pass Do I Need? 

To make the best choice on which pass to purchase, you need to know a bit about your recreation plans for the next year. Your best value may be a single-day pass. Or if you’re a frequent visitor to one or more recreation sites, a multi-day pass or annual pass that covers a forest or region may be more cost effective, like the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests annual Forest Passport or OHV License. 

An Interagency Annual Pass may be your best value if you plan to visit many different federal lands across the nation that include lands managed by other federal agencies. You may also qualify for the Interagency Senior passes or Interagency Access Pass. 

The following overview describes the passes accepted by the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests.

• National Forest Annual Pass
• Annual OHV Special Recreation Permit
• America the Beautiful - The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass

 

Annual Passes - Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests

An annual pass is a great value and helps contribute to the great outdoors and sustains recreation opportunities on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests - #ItsAllYours!  

Purchase a National Forest Annual Pass or an Annual OHV Special Recreation Permit at a local office  - however, please call to confirm availability (supplies are limited).

Learn more about projects on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests made possible by recreation fees. See also nationwide reports.

 

National Forest Annual Pass

Group Bicycling at Frady Branch in autumn

If your recreation plans only include visits to Georgia's national forests, purchase the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests' Annual Pass for $25.00.

A great value, the National Forest Annual Pass provides access for one year to many fee sites at popular recreation areas, trailheads, day-use areas and beach sites, shooting ranges and boat launches on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. Single-day use fees at these sites can range from $3 to $15 or more.

The National Forest Annual Pass is different from the Interagency Annual Pass and may only be used on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests.

Volunteers may earn a National Forest Annual Pass by performing 20 hours of volunteer work in coordination with the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. Just be sure to contact a local district office before you start to put in your volunteer time! All volunteer work and hours must be obtained under an official volunteer agreement.

For more information, visit a local district office or call 770-297-3000.

The National Forest Annual Pass is accepted at the following locations:

Nearby Town	National Forest Recreation Area
Suches	Deep Hole Recreation Area - Canoe Launch & Day-Use Area
Dalton	Dry Creek Equestrian and Mountain Bike Trailhead
Cleveland	Desoto Falls Recreation Area - Day Use
Helen	Dukes Creek Falls Recreation Area - Day Use
Madison	Dyar Pasture Recreation Area - Boat Launch & Wildlife Viewing Area
Toccoa	Frady Branch Equestrian and Mountain Bike Trailhead
Chatsworth	Lake Conasauga Recreation Area - Family Picnic & Swimming Area
Cornelia	Lake Russell Recreation Area - Day Use
Eatonton	Lake Sinclair Recreation Area - Family Picnic and Swim Beach Facilities
Gray	Miller Creek Lake Recreation Area - Day-Use
Cornelia & Mount Airy	Nancytown Day Use Area
Monticello	Ocmulgee Bluff Equestrian Trailhead
Greensboro	Oconee River Recreation Area -  Boat Launch Facilities
Clarkesville	Panther Creek Recreation Area - Day-Use
Greensboro	Redlands Recreation Area - Boat Launch Facilities
Madison	Swords Recreation Area - Boat Launch Facilities
Dalton	The Pocket Recreation Area - Day Use
Blue Ridge	Toccoa River, Sandy Bottoms - Canoe Launch
Eatonton	Cedar Creek Shooting Range
Dalton	Chestnut Mountain Shooting Range
Chatsworth	Sumac Creek Shooting Range
Blue Ridge	Lakewood Landing Boat Launch

Note: The Forest Passport is NOT accepted at concessionaire operated sites: Brasstown Bald Visitor Center, Anna Ruby Falls Recreation Area, Morganton Point Recreation Area, Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area, Lake Russell Recreation Area or Lake Rabun Recreation Area.

 

Annual OHV Special Recreation Permit 

A caravan sets out at Beasley Knob
for an OHV adventure

If you like to ride motorized trails, purchase a $50.00 annual Annual OHV Special Recreation Permit, which helps maintain OHV trails on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. Several trails are open only to vehicles less than or equal to 50" wide. Please see the official Motor Vehicle Use Map or each trail website for detailed information.

Motorized trails close when conditions are wet to prevent trail damage and erosion into streams. Check the status of your favorite trail or Call Before You Haul. For more information, visit a local district office or call 770-297-3000.

Please follow Tread Lightly principles to keep roads and trails sustainable. Learn more about Behaving Responsibly in  the Woods - #ItsAllYours - care for the land!

The National Forest OHV Pass is accepted at the following locations:

Nearby Town	National Forest Recreation Area
Blairsville	Beasley Knob OHV Trails
Blairsville	Davenport Mountain OHV Trails
Dahlonega	Whissenhunt OHV Trails
Clayton	Oakey Mountain OHV Trails
Dalton	Houston Valley OHV Trails
Chatsworth	Rock Creek ORV Trail
Chatsworth	Tatum Lead ORV Trail
Eton	Windy Gap, Milma Creek, and Tibbs OHV Trails
Greensboro	Roberts Bike Camp OHV Trails
Greensboro	Town Creek OHV Trails

Note: These trails are designated for the purpose of off-highway or off-road riding. All other Forest Service Roads open to highway-legal motorized use are not OHV trails. These public roads often serve as emergency access routes to private residences and provide critical access for managing public lands. For complete details, please see the OHV Rules and Regulations. 

Seasonal weather conditions and natural events may render designated routes and trails impassable for extended periods. Designated areas may contain dangerous or impassable terrain. Operating a motor vehicle on National Forest System roads, trails, and lands carries a responsibility to know and follow all applicable traffic laws, while also showing concern for the environment and other forest users. The misuse of motor vehicles can lead to the temporary or permanent closure of any designated road, trail, or area. Operators of motor vehicles are subject to State traffic law, including State requirements for licensing, registration, and operation of the vehicle in question. 

 

Interagency Annual Pass

America the Beautiful - The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass 

   

One of the most popular recreation passes is the America the Beautiful interagency annual pass. This pass allows you to enter many federally operated recreation sites across the country where per-person entrance fees are charged.

Learn more about the interagency passes available for:

Seniors:

4th graders:

Disabled persons:

Current military and Veterans:

Gold Star family members:  Gold Star family members can access the Gold Star family voucher here.

Recreation sites on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests that accept the Interagency Annual Pass:

 

Nearby Town	National Forest Recreation Area
Clarkesville	Panther Creek Recreation Area - Day-Use
Helen	Anna Ruby Falls Recreation Area
Blairsville	Brasstown Bald Visitor Center - Entrance
Suches	Deep Hole Recreation Area - Canoe Launch & Day-Use Area
Blairsville	DeSoto Falls Recreation Area - Picnic and Day-Use
Helen	Dukes Creek Falls Recreation Area - Day-Use
Greensboro	Dyar Pasture Recreation Area - Boat Launch & Wildlife Viewing Area
Gray	Miller Creek Lake Recreation Area - Day-Use

 

Discounts may be available to Senior or Access Pass holders.

• Cost: $80 annual pass
• How to purchase:
  • In person at a federal recreation site (see PDF list of federal recreation sites that issue passes),
  • By phone at: 888-ASK USGS (1-888-275-8747), extension 3 (Hours of operation are: 8 am to 4 pm Mountain Time)
  • Online—Buy now from the USGS store!
• Non-transferable
• Frequently Asked Questions about the Interagency Annual Pass (USGS website)
• Find more information from federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Annual Pass:
  • National Park Service
  • U.S. Forest Service
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • Bureau of Reclamation
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
    ​

September 1, 2017 - August 31, 2018 - 4th Grade Pass.