Special and Commercial Uses
A special-use permit is a legal authorization that allows occupancy, use, rights, or privileges of National Forest System land. The authorization is granted for a specific use of the land for a specific period of time.
Forest users need a special use permit if:
- they will occupy, use, or build on National Forest System land for any period of time for personal or business purposes.
- they are charging a fee for services rendered on National Forest System land or if income is derived from the use.
- they are hosting an activity or event that involves more than 75 spectators or participants.
Special Use Permits
- Your request must be consistent with laws, regulations, orders, policies of National Forest System lands, other federal laws, and applicable State and local health and sanitation laws.
- Your request must be consistent or made consistent with the standards and guidelines in the applicable Land and Resource Management Plan.
- Your request must not pose serious or substantial risk to public health or safety.
- Your request must not require exclusive or perpetual right of use or occupancy.
- Your request must not unreasonably conflict or interfere with administrative uses, other scheduled or authorized existing uses, or use of adjacent private lands.
- The proponent must not owe any fees to the Forest Service from a prior or existing special-use authorization.
- Gambling or providing of sexually-oriented commercial services will not be authorized on National Forest System land, even if permitted under state law.
- Military or paramilitary training or exercises by private organizations or individuals will not be authorized on National Forest System land, unless it is federally funded.
- Disposal of solid waste or storage or disposal of radioactive or other hazardous substances will be authorized on National Forest System land.
Different fees may apply to an application based on the intended use:
- A Land Use Fee is an annual rental fee based on the fair market value for the uses authorized. This fee, which is established by appraisal or other sound business management priciples, is paid in advance of use.
- Cost Recovery Fees are assessed to recover agency application processing costs and expenses incurred by the government to administer the permit.
Applicants may also be responsible for feasibility reports, environmental impact reports, or other information deemed necessary to approve a permit applications. In compliance with applicable laws and regulations, terms and conditions will be included in the permit.
The Sawtooth National Forest manages special uses consistent with National Forest Service Direction and that direction is found online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/specialuses/.
Start the process by contacting the district or area where you would like to conduct an activity:
- Sawtooth National Recreation Area (Ketchum & Stanley, Idaho): (208) 774-3017 or (208) 727-5008
- Ketchum Ranger District (Ketchum, Idaho): 208-622-5371
- Fairfield Ranger District (Fairfield, Idaho): 208-764-3202
- Minidoka Ranger District (Burley, Idaho): 208-678-0430
Outfitter and Guides Permits
Any individual or organization providing commercial outfitting services on National Forest System Lands, including nonprofits, educational and institutional groups. This includes activities that have a participation fee or when there is sale of a service, whether or not the primary aim is to produce a profit.
There are two types of permits issued to outfitters and guides: temporary use and priority use.
Temporary use permits may be issued for up to 200 service days within a 180-day period. Service days are determined based on the number of people served and the number of days spent on the Forest. For example, if an outfitter is guiding three people for three days, the trip would count as nine service days.
Priority use permits may be issued for up to a 10-year period. For new uses, a priority use permit may be issued for two years. The two-year permit has an option to be extended for up to eight years. The extension is based on the use remaining consistent with applicable laws, the land management plan, and satisfactory performance.
Start the process by contacting the district or area where you would like to conduct the activity:
- Sawtooth National Recreation Area (Ketchum & Stanley, Idaho): (208) 774-3017 or (208) 727-5008
- Ketchum Ranger District (Ketchum, Idaho): 208-622-5371
- Fairfield Ranger District (Fairfield, Idaho): 208-764-3202
- Minidoka Ranger District (Burley, Idaho): 208-678-0430
A permit may not be issued if:
- the proposal submitted does not meet screening criteria 36 CFR 251.54,
- environmental analysis finds the use would have significant impact to resources, or
- the service proposed is already being provided by another entity.
Outfitters with a priority use permit pay a land-use rental fee of 3% of their gross revenue with adjustments that can be made if there is time spent off of National Forest lands. There are additional fees for campsites or picnic sites that are assigned to the permittee and for grazing recreational pack stock.
Outfitters with a temporary use permit pay a flat fee of $150 per 50 service days, if their gross revenue falls within each service day bracket, if not the 3% land-use rental fee applies.
Commercial Filming and Still Photography Permits
National forests and grasslands are the perfect backdrop for films, ads, and other types of commercial filming and still photography. Please fill out a proposal form and contact one of our offices to confirm whether your use requires a special use permit. A special use permit is not required for activities involving breaking news.
Contact your local permit administrator to submit a proposal form or to obtain more information about still photography and commercial filming permits:
Sawtooth National Recreation Area (Ketchum & Stanley, Idaho): (208) 774-3000 or (208) 774-3023
Ketchum Ranger District (Ketchum, Idaho): 208-622-5371
Fairfield Ranger District (Fairfield, Idaho): 208-764-3202
Minidoka Ranger District (Burley, Idaho): 208-678-0430
Breaking news is an event or incident that arises suddenly, evolves quickly, and rapidly ceases to be newsworthy. A special use permit is not required for activities involving breaking news. Examples of breaking news are:
- A plane crash in the forest
- Stories on resource issues, such as road damage from vehicle use due to high levels of spring run-off, illegal trespasses into winter range closure areas, and visitor reactions to the opening of a new trailhead
- A search and rescue
Wilderness areas are congressionally designated areas on federal lands that are subject to specific management restrictions; human activities are restricted to non-motorized recreation (such as backpacking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, etc.), scientific research, and other non-invasive activities. Wilderness Areas occur on Forest Service (Department of Agriculture) lands, as well as on lands managed by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of Interior).
A special use permit may only be issued for commercial photography or commercial filming on a US Forest Service Wilderness Area if 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.
The Sawtooth National Forest has three Wilderness areas, all of which fall within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area: The Sawtooth Wilderness, Cecil D. Andrus – White Clouds Wilderness, and Hemingway – Boulders Wilderness.