The Forest Service offers places for hiking, biking, skiing, nature viewing, scenic drives, and for gathering forest products such as mushrooms, firewood, and Christmas trees. Many of the facilities and services associated with these opportunities are free. However, some do require fees or permits to help maintain, manage and improve your national forests and grasslands.

In general, you can purchase many of these passes and permits at any Forest Service office near you.  It's recommended that you call to confirm availability. 

Forest Permits

Please select from the following options to learn more.

• Campfire Permits

  

  You must have a campfire permit to use a stove, lantern, charcoal barbeque, or wood campfire outside of a developed campground or recreation area. The permit is your agreement to follow the campfire restrictions and regulations in effect.

  Campfire Permits

• Desolation Wilderness Permits

  

  Because of its beauty and accessibility, Desolation Wilderness is one of the most heavily used wilderness areas in the United States. In order to protect its unique beauty and wilderness character, human access is limited and certain activities are restricted in the Desolation Wilderness.

  Desolation Wilderness Permits

• Mokelumne Wilderness Permits

  

  Permits are mandatory for entry into the Mokelumne Wilderness year round for overnight use. The permit system allows the Forest Service to inform visitors of their responsibilities for preserving the wilderness resource, gather important recreation use data, and to limit use where necessary.

  Mokelumne Wilderness Permits

• Sno Park Passes

  

  Sno-Parks are fun and safe locations for winter recreation. Ski, snowshoe, snow play, or snowmobile with friends or family.

  Sno Park Passes

National Recreation Passes

National passes are honored nationwide at Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Fish & Wildlife Service sites charging entrance or standard and expanded amenity fees.

There are several pass options to consider. To make the best choice on which pass to purchase, you should think 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 sites, a multi-day pass or annual pass that covers a forest or region may be the best buy.
• 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 one of the Interagency Lifetime Passes (Interagency Senior Pass or Interagency Access Pass).
• The "Every Kid Outdoors" pass gives fourth graders free access to 2,000-plus federal recreation sites. Detailed information about that pass is available on the Every Kid Outdoors site.
• Active military personnel and their dependents also qualify for an Interagency Annual Military Pass.
• Concession operated facilities: These passes do not apply to concession operated day use areas. View our Current Conditions status page to determine if the site you are interested in is operated by the concession. You can also view our Campground Recreation Opportunity Guide.

The USGS Store provides Frequently Asked Questions about Recreational Passes. For more information about permits and passes, see our national Recreation Fees and Passes website.

Fee-Free Days

The Forest Service waives recreation fees at most day-use sites on lands managed by the agency. Participation by concession-operated sites may vary. The dates are listed on the national Passes and Permits | US Forest Service (usda.gov) webpage for these days each year: 

• Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• National Get Outdoors Day
• Juneteenth
• National Public Lands Day
• Veterans Day