Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest to move to primarily cashless collections Memorial Day weekend

Wenatchee, WA, May 19, 2025 — Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest will be transitioning to primarily cashless fee collections utilizing an app for digital payments at most recreation fee sites across the Forest. Sites using this new payment system will include all trailheads and day use sites that require a fee or pass, as well as most first-come, first-serve campgrounds, including concessionaire operated sites. To be prepared, download the recreation.gov mobile app now ahead of visiting your National Forest. 

Visitors will need to download the mobile application from recreation.gov when they are in an area with cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. Once the recreation.gov app is installed and an account is set up, the scan and pay application will work offline at recreation sites without service. 

Over the course of the summer, cashless payments will continue to be rolled out at all first-come, first-serve campgrounds, this includes both Forest Service and concessionaire operated campgrounds. Please visit the campground page on our website or call the local district to verify payment options. 

Moving to a cashless system will greatly reduce the amount of time forest staff spend collecting and processing cash and checks. This will increase their availability to help visitors and manage recreation sites. Cashless options offer convenience to both recreation staff and visitors.  

Visitors can also still purchase and utilize the Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Interagency Pass, available from local vendors or online, at all day use sites requiring a fee. For more information and to check out the vendor location map go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/okanogan-wenatchee/passes.  

The Forest offers many developed campgrounds, cabins and lookouts operated by the agency staff or by concessionaires that are available for reservation prior to arrival. These reservation sites are handled through recreation.gov and will not be impacted by the new on-site cashless payment system.  

Recreation fees and passes are a critical source of revenue used to improve the experience for national forests visitors. Recreation revenues support the maintenance and operation of recreation sites and provide funding for improvements and project work.  

For more information on Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest recreation, please visit the forest webpage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/okanogan-wenatchee/recreation.