Passes
Not all day use sites on the Forest require fees, but some do. Charging a fee allows the Forest and our concessionaire partners to pay for maintaining toilets and picnic tables, potable water, trash removal, and other basic visitor benefits.
There are several types of recreation passes accepted at most sites in Mt. Hood National Forest, but the type of pass accepted depends on the concessionaire. Contact your local district office to determine what recreation pass is right for you.
Overnight camping fees apply for campgrounds. Concessionaires are required to honor Senior and Access Interagency Passes for a 50% discount for single-site camping. Please visit our campground page for more information.
Our district offices are not open on the weekends. Looking to buy a pass from a vendor outside our business hours? Check out the vendor locations map and find the closest store to you!
Where Can I Use My Recreation Pass?
The following concession-operated day use sites only accept the Annual Northwest Forest Pass and do not accept day passes nor Interagency Passes. Pass or payment is required during the operating season, which is dependent on weather. Sites are $10 per vehicle per day.
| Recreation Fee Site | Day Use Fee |
|---|---|
| Bear Springs Shelter/Day Use | $10 |
| Camp Creek Day Use | $10 |
| Clear Lake Day Use | $10 |
| Eightmile Trailhead | $10 |
| Frog Lake Day Use | $10 |
| Green Canyon Day Use | $10 |
| Knebal Springs Trailhead | $10 |
| Little Crater Lake Day Use | $10 |
| Lost Creek Day Use | $10 |
| McCubbins OHV Day Use | $10 |
| Rainbow Trailhead | $10 |
| Rock Creek Reservoir Day Use | $10 |
| Tollgate Day Use | $10 |
| Trillium Lake Day Use/Picnic Area | $10 |
| Wahtum Lake Trailhead | $10 |
The following sites accept the Annual Northwest Forest Pass, National Forest Day Pass and all Interagency Passes in lieu of payment. Pass or payment is required May 1 through October 31 for sites with a fee of $5 per vehicle per day.
For Lake Harriet and Timothy Lake, pass or payment is required during the operating season, which is dependent on weather.
| Recreation Fee Site | Day Use Fee |
|---|---|
| Barlow Pass Trailhead | $5 |
| Billy Bob Sno-Park | $5 Required November 1 thru April 30. |
| Burnt Lake (North) Trailhead | $5 |
| Elk Meadows Trailhead | $5 |
| French's Dome Trailhead | $5 |
| Frog Lake Sno-Park/Trailhead | $5 |
| Glacier View Sno-Park/Trailhead | $5 |
| Hidden Lake Trailhead | $5 |
| High Prairie Trailhead | $5 |
| Lake Harriet Day Use | $10 |
| Little Zigzag Falls Trailhead | $5 |
| Mirror Lake Trailhead | $5 |
| Old Salmon River Trailhead | $5 |
| Paradise Park Trailhead | $5 |
| Polallie Trailhead | $5 |
| Ramona Falls Trailhead | $5 |
| Salmon Butte Trailhead | $5 |
| Salmon River - West Trailhead | $5 |
| Tamanawas Falls Trailhead | $5 Required year-round. |
Timothy Lake sites: Oak Fork | $10 |
| Top Spur Trailhead | $5 |
The following concession-operated day use sites do not accept any passes in lieu of payment. Fees are required during the operating season, which is dependent on weather. Sites fees are $10 per vehicle per day, except where noted.
| Recreation Fee Site | Day Use Fee |
|---|---|
| Bagby Hot Springs | $5 (per person) |
| Black Lake Day Use | $10 |
| Laurance Lake/Kinnickinnick Day Use | $10 |
| Lost Lake Resort Day Use | $15 |
| Lower Eightmile Crossing Day Use | $10 |
| Nottingham Day Use | $10 |
| Pebble Ford Day Use | $10 |
| Rainy Lake Day Use | $10 |
| Sherwood Day Use | $10 |
Passes in Pacific Northwest
Recreation passes provide access to Forest Service operated recreation sites where a day use fee is required. Annual passes cover day use or entrance fees all year, while day passes work for a single day.
Campground Concessionaires
Mt. Hood National Forest has used concessionaires since the 1990s to efficiently operate recreation sites across the Forest. Concessionaires fill a vital role to help the Forest Service carry out its mission and provide visitor services.
Mt. Hood National Forest has about 80 campgrounds and rental cabins across its 1.1 million acres. We have an obligation to provide services for visitors while maintaining safe, reliable access to our national forests. To maintain recreation sites, provide key services, and sustain the health of the Forest, the Forest permits private concessionaires to manage many developed sites.
The Forest’s use of private concessionaires benefits the economy, employs local community members, and provides services ranging from food and firewood to yurts and shuttles. Concessionaires can hire short-term workers more easily and respond to on-the-ground needs quickly. Working with concessionaires saves money for taxpayers and a percentage of the fees collected by the concessionaire are reinvested into recreation sites.
Four different private concessionaires operate campgrounds across Mt. Hood under a special use permit:
PGE also operates some recreation sites as part of their Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license.
Mt. Hood National Forest staff operate the remainder of recreation sites across the Forest. In 2023, Mt. Hood National Forest advertised for concessionaires to bid on a range of developed recreation sites. ARM was selected to operate and maintain developed recreation sites under a special use permit in early 2024. ARM was selected based on their experience on other public lands, references, and commitment to benefitting Forest visitors. 2025 is their second year operating on Mt. Hood. They manage a portion of recreation sites on all four ranger districts.