Permits
Huckleberry Heaven! Bushes laden with thumbnail sized huckleberries at an undisclosed location. View full-sized photo on Flickr.
Photo Credit: USDA Forest Service photo by Erika Williams.The Forest offers opportunities for gathering forest products including mushrooms, berries, and boughs. Learn best practices to help maintain future harvests.
- Berry Picking - No permit is required for recreational berry picking, up to 10 gallons.
- Mushroom Permits - No permit is required for incidental use harvesting, up to five gallons per season (approximately 2 grocery bags). Learn more about mushroom harvest information.
- Cones and Boughs, Forest Greens - Please contact your local Forest Service Ranger District office for cost and permit information. The permit will be mailed or arrangement made for in-person appointment. Collect from a wide-ranging area, away from public or utility corridors (about 100 lbs or less, incidental use only).
Best Practices:
- Protect future harvests. Reduce impacts to the fungi by not disturbing the soil. No raking, digging, or other ground disturbances are allowed when collecting mushrooms. Cut or break off mushrooms at ground level. All mushrooms shall be split in half lengthwise prior to leaving collection site.
- Refer to Motor Vehicle Use Maps for designated motorized roads and seasonal closures. Available online - Download. Motorized travel off designated roads and trails is prohibited.
- Collect from a wide-ranging area, do not limit all your collecting to a small area.
- If there is any ground disturbance, do your best to fill in the hole and cover with sod or dead plant material. Try not to leave exposed bare soil, as this is where weeds become established.
- Many native plant species transplant readily into gardens, however, for various reasons some native species are very sensitive and have a high rate of mortality when transplanted. In selecting species to transplant, rely upon information from gardeners and nurseries, on which species survive best. Transplanting works best when plants are dug on cool days and replanted immediately. It is best to keep roots moist and not allow them to come in contact with air. Water well the first growing season. Most plants, especially shrubs and trees, transplant best when dormant (fall or early spring). To help increase a transplant’s chance of survival, mark the North side of the tree before removal and then line up the same side when you re-plant it.
Please contact your local Forest Service Ranger District office for cost and permit information. The permit will be mailed or arrangement made for in-person appointment.
- Personal Use Firewood Cutting Brochure - west side of Forest
- Follow all Motor Vehicle Use Maps for your area of the Forest.
Restrictions
- 4 cord minimum, 12 cord maximum, recommended firewood collection is between May and October. Permits are good for all forests within Montana and Northern Idaho. Keep permit handy while gathering/transporting firewood.
- Dead down trees and logs as well as standing dead trees unless reserved from cutting
- 6 foot maximum length
- Chainsaws must be equipped with approved spark arrestor screen
- During fire season (May 1 – Sept 30) all vehicles on NFS (National Forest System) lands must be equipped with a baffled muffler, serviceable tailpipe and should contain operable fire extinguisher (2.5 lb capacity, 4BC rating).
- On site when collecting firewood: Shovel (45 inches long with minimum 6 inch blade), fire extinguisher (liquid/8 ounce capacity or dry chemical/ 1 lb capacity).
Get your tree permit online seasonally at Recreation.gov Price is $5 per tree and service processing fee.
Download this Coloring page for free!
Restrictions
- Limit three permits per household.
- Permits are good Forest-wide, except at developed recreation sites (cabins, campgrounds, picnic areas, national natural landmarks or trailheads) or wilderness and riparian areas to protect the resource, or active timber sales.
- Stump height: 6 inches maximum - Please help low stump (cut close to the ground). When snow melts, tree stumps can cause harm, eyesores or tripping hazards.
- Do not remove the top of the tree, cut down the entire tree. Max tree height - approximately 12 feet.
- No cutting of 5 needle pines (i.e. 5 needles in one cluster)
Personal Use Post and Pole permits will be sold on a first come, first served basis in the spring. The location of the post and pole units will be given each year along with the authorized time for removal.
Available through Beartooth, Bozeman and Yellowstone Ranger Districts (Livingston office) or Musselshell Ranger District (Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Harlowton, MT). You must apply to the district where you will be collecting.
Please contact your local Forest Service District office for permit information. The permit will be mailed or arrangement made for in-person appointment. Landscape Rock personal use permits (required) are free and limited to 1 ton per person, unless otherwise specified. Please contact your respective ranger district for additional information.
Restrictions
- 20 cubic inches (approx. 3” x 3” x 2”) of petrified wood per person, per calendar year.
- Collection only within the boundaries of the Gallatin Petrified Forest Special Management Zone.
- Expires December 31 of the year issued.
Prior to burning you must obtain a permit from your local county fire control authority.
- Most counties have burn permit applications available online.
Burn Permits – visit your respective county for information.
Yellowstone County Burn Permits
For additional information, visit Montana DEQ.
Special Use Permits
Each year, the Forest Service receives thousands of individual and business applications for special use authorizations on public lands we manage. Situations requiring special use permits include:
- Organized events, such as competitive races, contests, festivals
- Non-commercial group events with more than 75 people, such as weddings, club events
- Commercial filming and photography
- Outfitters and guides
You are required to have a Special Use Permit even when the use or activity is not intended to produce a profit. Apply for a permit at the local ranger district where the event or activity will take place. The ranger district reviews applications on a case-by-case basis and approval is not guaranteed. Basic requirements include technical and financial capability, payment of a fee, and insurance listing the US Government as additionally insured.
When do I need a special-use permit?
- If you will need to occupy, use or build on Forest Service land for personal or business purposes, whether the duration is temporary or long term.
- If there is a fee being charged or if income is derived from the use.
- If an activity on those lands land involve individuals or organization with 75 or more participants or spectators.
Annual Yellowstone Rendezvous cross country ski Race - 2010. View full-sized photo on Flickr.
Permits for Events, Commercial Uses and Special Uses
A special use permit is required for any commercial activity, defined as any use or activity on National Forest System Lands where:
- the primary purpose is the sale of a good or service
- an entry or participation fee is charged
This is applicable whether or not the use or activity is intended to produce a profit. Applications for special use permits are accepted at local ranger district offices and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Submitting an application does not guarantee its authorization. Basic requirements for holding a permit include technical and financial capability, payment of a fee, and insurance listing the US Government as additionally insured. Click on the specific activities below to learn more.
Recreation events are commercial activities requiring temporary, authorized use of national forest land. These are events in which participants pay a fee to participate. A special use permit is required regardless of the number of participants in the event. Examples of recreation events can include, but are not limited to: competitive animal, bicycle, motocross, or triathlon races, fund raisers, fishing contests, festivals/rendezvous, club activities, and other similar events.
All proposals are subject to screening and environmental assessment. They are reviewed and authorized on a case-by-case basis. District Rangers have final discretion for authorization and decisions may be based on a variety of factors.
Before Submitting a Proposal for Organized Events
- Contact the appropriate Ranger District well in advance, if you or your organization are considering holding such an event on the National Forest. Some districts may have a specific open season for submitting proposals.
- Liability insurance is required.
- The forest collects fees based on the adjusted gross income from the event.
- Commercial recreation events are NOT allowed in designated Wilderness Areas or Wilderness Study Areas.
- Depending on the size and duration of the activity, costs associated with safety issues, sanitation, shuttling, traffic control, etc. may also be required.
- Ranger districts may differ on certain specific requirements or restrictions.
- Authorization of a recreation event one year does not guarantee that another permit will be issued for a similar event in future years.
- Proponents must demonstrate that they can satisfactorily mitigate potential social, biological, or environmental impacts of the proposed activity.
To submit a recreation event proposal
Complete the Recreation Event Proposal Form and contact the appropriate ranger district.
Special Use Permits are required for non-commercial events of groups with more than 75 people, including spectators. This means a fee or participation fee is not charged. Examples of these gatherings include weddings, club events, and other organized gatherings.
All proposals are subject to screening and environmental assessment. They are reviewed and authorized on a case-by-case basis. District Rangers have final discretion for authorization and decisions may be based on a variety of factors.
Before Submitting a Proposal for Non-Commercial Group Use
- Contact the appropriate district well in advance if you are considering planning a large group event on the forest.
- Consider reserving a developed group site such as a large group campsite or pavilion. You can find many of these on Recreation.gov.
- Areas cannot be blocked or cordoned off for an event. Access for the general public to sites, trails, and/or roads must be maintained.
- Expect to have contact with members of the recreating public during your gathering.
- Proponents must demonstrate that they can satisfactorily mitigate potential social, biological, or environmental impacts of the proposed activity.
- Depending on the size and duration of the activity, costs associated with safety issues, sanitation, shuttling, traffic control, etc. may also be required.
- Ranger districts may differ on certain specific requirements or restrictions.
To submit a non-commercial group event proposal
Complete the Non-Commercial Group Use Proposal Form and contact the appropriate ranger district.
The Forest Service permits commercial filming and still photography on public lands. Like other commercial uses of National Forest lands and resources, commercial filming requires a special use permit issued by the District Ranger.
Commercial filming is defined as use of motion picture, videotaping, sound-recording, or any other type of moving image or audio recording equipment on National Forest System lands that involves the advertisement of a product or service, the creation of a product for sale, and/or the use of actors, models, sets, or props, but not including activities associated with broadcasting breaking news. For purposes of this definition, creation of a product for sale includes a film, videotape, television broadcast, or documentary of historic events, wildlife, natural events, features, subjects or participants in a sporting or recreation event, and so forth, when created for the purpose of generating income (FSH 2709.11 2008-2 (CH 40)).
Commercial photography is defined as the use of photographic equipment to capture still images on film, digital format, and other similar technologies found on National Forest System lands that: takes place at a location where members of the public are generally not allowed or where additional administrative costs are likely; or uses models, sets, or props that are not part of the site’s natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities (FSH 2709.11 2008-2 (CH 40)).
Before Submitting a Proposal for Commercial Filming and Photography Permits
- A proposal is required at least 2 weeks in advance of requested filming dates. In cases of more complex proposals, or proposals not fully formulated, more advance notice may be required.
- Depending upon permit requests and workloads, film permitting can take up to 1-2 months.
- Project submissions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
- Liability insurance is required.
- The Forest collects both daily fees and a cost recovery administrative fee for commercial film and photography permits.
- Commercial filming and commercial still photography are not authorized in designated Wilderness Areas unless the activity has a primary objective of disseminating information about the use and enjoyment of wilderness, is wilderness-dependent and an appropriate non-wilderness substitute does not exist, and the activity would not involve the use of any motorized equipment or mechanical transport
- Drone filming may be authorized on a case-by-case basis and only upon submission of all appropriate licensing. Drone filming is NOT allowed in Wilderness Areas or Wilderness Study Areas.
To Submit a Commercial Film or Photography Proposal
Complete the CGNF Commercial Film and Still Photography Form in as much detail as possible and contact the appropriate ranger district.
Outfitters and guides perform a vital public service on the Custer Gallatin National Forest. The role of commercial outfitters and guides is to provide specialized knowledge, skills, experience and equipment that general recreationists might not otherwise possess. This contributes to high quality opportunities for people to recreate on public lands regardless of their skill level or prior experience.
Who needs an outfitter-guide permit? Individuals or entities offering outfitting and guiding services on National Forest Lands must have a permit. Review the following definitions, found in 36 CFR 251.51:
- Commercial use or activity - any use or activity on National Forest System lands (a) where an entry or participation fee is charged, or (b) where the primary purpose is the sale of a good or service, and in either case, regardless of whether the use or activity is intended to produce a profit. Noncommercial - means that neither of the above conditions apply.
- Guiding - Providing services or assistance (such as supervision, protection, education, training, packing, touring, subsistence, transporting people, or interpretation) for pecuniary remuneration or other gain to individuals or groups on National Forest System lands. The term "guide" includes the holder's employees and agents.
- Outfitting - Renting on or delivering to National Forest System lands for pecuniary remuneration or other gain any saddle or pack animal, vehicle, boat, camping gear, or similar supplies or equipment. The term "outfitter" includes the holder's employees and agents.
Operating as an outfitter on the National Forest
Priority Special Use Permits for Outfitting and Guiding are authorized by local ranger districts and are subject to standard environmental review processes. These processes and a number of other factors, including personnel and land use capacity, can affect whether a district is able to accept new proposals. Interested parties may contact the appropriate ranger district and the special use permit administrator for more details.
Temporary Special Use Permits are authorizations for a commercial use or activity that allows specified, short-term, non-recurring, non-renewable recreational use of National Forest System lands. A temporary outfitter and guide permit is not intended to be used as a means to establish priority or long-term use and can only be authorized for low-risk activities. There are multiple limitations on a temporary outfitter guide permit. District Rangers have final discretion regarding authorization and decisions may be based on a variety of factors. Contact the appropriate ranger district for inquiries.
Recreation Residences
Recreation residences are privately-owned cabins on National Forest land, authorized by special use permits. These cabins are not available for public use. For more information, call (406) 587-6701 for Recreation Residence Program Manager.