Passes & Permits

Firewood Permits

Instructions and Fee Schedule

Prescott National Forest Offices

 

Transplant Permit

Transplant Permits allow for removal of small trees off the forest. The cost is $3 per tree and the minimum cost is $20 so you would need to buy 7 or 8.  The only restrictions are that these are for softwoods (pines, junipers), cant be collected by trailheads, and you must fully fill in any holes.  Call any of our offices to learn more.

 

Special Events & Commercial Permits 

Examples of special uses of the Prescott National Forest include popular outdoor recreation events, weddings, and large group gatherings.  Commercial permits are required for activities including outfitter-guides, and any activity performed for monetary gain. 

There is heavy demand for special use permits on the Prescott National Forest. The decision to grant a special use permit is influenced by many factors including: the complexity of the use (e.g., a wedding versus an event which is likely to attract thousands of participants and spectators), whether there are enough employees to monitor the special use effectively, the extent to which the special use may cause resource damage, and the number of others using the forest for the same purpose (e.g., outfitter guides). 

Other special uses of national forest lands include: communications towers, power lines, public highways and roads, leased land for organization camps, and more.

For more information about special uses on national forest lands visit the U.S. Forest Service Washington Office Special Uses, Lands and Realty Management, and  Contracts and Commercial Permits web pages.

 

Recreation Fees

Each year, there are more than 260 thousand visits to developed recreation sites in the Prescott Basin for picnicking, fishing, hiking, camping, and many other outdoor activities. More and more people recreate on the Prescott National Forest every year. Meeting the increasing needs of these visitors, delivering quality recreation, heritage and wilderness opportunities, and protecting natural resources has become challenging.

To help address this issue, President Bush signed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA). The Act permits federal land management agencies to continue charging modest fees at campgrounds, rental cabins, high-impact recreation areas and at day-use sites that have certain facilities. The Act defined the following fee categories:

Standard Amenity Fees

  • Examples: Picnic areas, developed trailheads, destination visitor centers, high impact recreation areas
  • Explanation: Typically, standard amenity fees are day use fees, often covered by a day or annual pass. High impact recreation areas are contiguous areas that support concentrated recreation use. Each site or area must contain six "amenities," which are picnic tables, trash, toilet, parking, interpretive signing and security.
  • Valid Passes: Prescott National Forest Pass; Interagency Annual Pass; Interagency Senior Pass; Interagency Access Pass; Every Kid in a Park Pass, and on-site payment for one day. Follow the "Valid Passes" link above for more detailed information about these passes.

Standard Amenity Fee Sites on the Prescott National Forest:

Expanded Amenity Fees

  • Examples: Campgrounds, highly developed boat launches and swimming areas, cabin or lookout rentals. Services like hookups, dump stations, special tours, transportation systems and reservation services.
  • Explanation: Provides direct benefits to individuals or groups.
  • Payment generally on-site or through reservation.
  • Expanded Amenity Fee Sites on the Prescott National Forest:
    • Family Campground Opportunities
    • Group Campground Opportunities
    • Group Day-Use Area Opportunities
    • Recreation Rental Opportunities

Special Recreation Permits

  • Examples: Wilderness areas, shooting ranges, specialized trail systems
  • Explanation: Permits are issued when extra measures are required for natural and cultural resource protection, or the health and safety of visitors. They may also be used to disperse recreation use or help ensure that the number of visitors does not exceed the capacity of the land.
  • Payment developed with permit depending on each situation.

We believe you'll agree reasonable fees are better than closed recreation sites or reduced services.

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