One of my first gear purchases for day hiking wasn’t a pack, a water bottle or even a pair of hiking shoes. It was an annual parking pass for my car – a $35 annual Northwest Forest Pass to be exact. This was to ensure I wouldn’t get a ticket while having my car parked at a trailhead. Recreation Passes and Backcountry Permits could easily be considered the 11th Essential here in the PNW because most trailheads require one. Not having a recreation pass is just as bad as putting the wrong pass out. I once made the mistake of putting out the Northwest Forest Pass instead of the Discover Pass and it cost me $100 to park my car for my hike that day, even though I had both passes in my car! Now, I always leave both passes out on my dashboard, just in case.
If you’re an avid hiker here in the PNW, you’re probably very familiar with having to use a recreation pass at most trailheads. Often times, the problem is trying to figure out which pass is the right one to use. With all of the different passes available – the Northwest Forest Pass, the Discover Pass, the America the Beautiful Pass and the Sno-Park Permits, how is one supposed to know which one to use and where? I’m constantly questioning myself at the trailhead, trying to figure out which pass to use. For those of you who often find yourself in this same situation, this post is for you. Here’s to taking the mystery out of recreation passes used in the PNW.
Before I dive into each of the different types of recreation passes there are, how much they cost, how often they need to bought and where they’re used, I want to talk about why recreation passes exist in the first place. I have a very close friend (whom shall remain anonymous) who, for as long as I’ve known her, has always been adamant about not buying a pass. She thought the whole system was a load of BS. When I asked her if she was ever concerned about getting a ticket, her response was always, “How in the heck would they even enforce it?” Me being an adamant rule follower, I’ve always bought passes every year, not only because I don’t want to get a ticket, but because most of the money I spend on the passes goes right back to the very places I love.
Believe it or not, recreation passes do serve a very important purpose here in the PNW. Day passes, annual passes, seasonal passes and entrance fees all exist as a result of their being limited funding for public lands. Eighty to ninety-five percent of the proceeds raised by all of the passes sold goes right back into maintaining and improving the trails and facilities. These funds are used to employ backcountry rangers and trail crews who empty the garbage cans at trailheads and campsites, operate and maintain campgrounds, staff and maintain visitor centers, clean vault toilets at trailheads and in the backcountry, clear and remove encroaching brush from the trail, remove fallen trees, repair erosion, repair or replace bridges, fix old or install new picnic tables and replace old, damaged or vandalized signs. The next time you hear someone griping about having the shell out $35 for an annual recreation pass, ask them if they like having access to clean toilets, enjoy walking over bridges instead of having to ford creeks and appreciate having trails free from downed trees and overgrown brush.
There are different passes required on public lands in Washington. Some passes are free. Some require a small fee. Some are seasonal. Some are required year-round. With all the different passes available and the regulations surrounding them, it’s easy to see how confusing it can be to know which pass to use at any given trailhead.
What it basically comes down to is this: Federal Land and State Land.
Federal Lands include everything from national forests, national wildlife refuges, national historic sites, Bureau of Land Management lands and places managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. A Northwest Forest Pass allows for trailhead parking on national forests only whereas an America the Beautiful Interagency Pass will allow you access to all of these sites.
Washington State Public Lands are everything from Washington State Parks, Department of Natural Resources lands and Department of Fish and Wildlife trailheads. This consists of more than seven million acres of Washington state-managed recreation lands including campgrounds, parks, wildlife areas, trails, natural areas, wilderness areas and water access points The Discover Pass is required to park on all Washington state public lands.
Here’s a complete list of all the recreation passes available here in the PNW, along with how much they cost, how often you’ll need to purchase them, what area of land they cover and where you can purchase each of them.
Passes for Federal Lands
National Park Entrance Fees: $30/car, $15/person walk-in or bike-in or $25/motorcycle
- Charged at Mount Rainier and Olympic National Park
- Good for seven days
- Entrance fees can be purchased at park entrances or online
- There’s no fee to enter North Cascades National Park
- Details
National Park Annual Pass – $55
- Provides entrance for one year to either Olympic or Mount Rainier National Park
- Pass is only valid at the park where it was purchased
America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass – $80
- aka America the Beautiful pass
- Provides entry into any national park, forest service or other federal site charging fees for one year, nationwide
- Can be purchased at the park or online
- Details
America the Beautiful Interagency Senior Pass – Multiple Prices
- $20 for an annual pass
- $80 for a lifetime pass
- Four annual senior passes can be traded in for a lifetime senior pass at no charge
- Honored nationwide at any federal site charging entrance fees
- Details
America the Beautiful Annual Pass – Military – Free
- Provides free access to federal land for all active military personnel and their dependents
- Details
America the Beautiful Interagency Access Pass – Free
- Those with permanent disabilities may be eligible for a lifetime pass
- Honored nationwide
- Details
National Forest Recreation Day Pass and ePass – $5/car
- Gives you access to park at a trailhead for one day
- Can purchase several day passes ahead of time and write dates on them as you use them
- Day passes are available at National Forest offices and visitor centers, private vendors such as REI or online
- ePasses can be purchased online and printed at home
- Allows trailhead parking on national forests only
- Purchase Online
Annual Northwest Forest Pass: $30
- Covers all USFS day-use or entrance fees in Washington and Oregon for one year
- Available for purchase at Nationals Forest offices and visitor centers, private vendors (REI) or online
- Allows trailhead parking on national forests only
- Purchase Online
America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass: $80
Interagency Senior Pass – Multiple Prices
- $20 for an annual pass
- $80 for a lifetime pass
- Available to anyone 62 or older
- Four annual senior passes can be traded in for a lifetime senior pass at no charge
- Honored nationwide at any federal site charging entrance fees
- Details
Mount St. Helens National Monument
- Managed by the USFS
- Charges on a per-person basis
- Honors Interagency Annual and Senior passes for named passholders
- A Northwest Forest Pass will gain entry for one person
- Details
Passes for State Lands
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Lands:
- A recreation pass is required at many of Washington’s National Wildlife Refuges including: Nisqually, Dungeness and Ridgefield
- The fee is $3/family or $15 annually
- Fee is payable at the visitor center or trailhead
- Other passes accepted include the Interagency Annual, Access and Senior Passes
- Federal Duck Stamp pass is accepted as well
Discover Pass Day Pass – $10.00/car
*There’s a $1.50 processing fee per pass when purchased online or through a vendor
- Allows visitors to park at state recreation lands for one day
- Sold at face-value at staffed state parks and unstaffed pay stations
- Details
Discover Pass Annual Pass – $30
*There’s a $5.00 processing fee per pass when purchased online or through a vendor
- Allows visitors to park at state recreation lands for one year from issue
- Discover Passes can be purchased at state parks, when renewing car tabs, online through Washington department of Fish and Wildlife’s automated system and in-person at specific retail locations.
- Annual passes purchased at retail locations are subject to a $5 upcharge.
- Day passes purchased at retail locations are subject to a $1.50 upcharge.
- Passes are transferable between two cars
- Details
Passes for Winter Recreation – Washington Sno-Parks
Winter Recreation – Washington Sno-Parks
There are more than 120 Sno-Parks (parking lots cleared of snow) available statewide during the winter months. Washington’s Sno-Park Permits allow you to park at plowed lots accessible to groomed and backcountry trails. There are both non-motorized and motorized Sno-Parks. Sno-Park permits can be purchased online from November 1st through April 30th or for an extra $2 at a number of locations statewide.
- State parks permit purchase locations
- Purchase Sno-Park permits online
Sno-Park Day Permits – $20/day
- Allows you to park at plowed lots accessible to groomed and backcountry trails
- Valid at any Sno-Park location, including Special Groomed Trail locations, until midnight of the purchase date
Sno-Park Seasonal Permits – $40/season
- Valid at all Sno-Park locations EXCEPT those designated as Special Groomed Trail locations
- If you have a Sno-Park Seasonal Permit, you don’t need a Discover Pass to snowshoe within state parks
- Can be purchased online from November 1st through April 30th or for an extra $2 at a number of locations statewide
- If you’re going out two or more times, buy the Seasonal Permit
Sno-Park Special Groomed Trails Permits – $40/season add-on
This optional add-on to the Seasonal Permit allows you to park at Cabin Creek, Chiwawa, Crystal Springs, Hyak, Lake Easton, Lake Wenatchee, Mount Spokane and Nason Ridge where trails are groomed for cross-country skiers
What If You Don’t Want to Pay or Can’t Afford a Pass?
Don’t worry! There are plenty of free options available.
Volunteer
What better way to give back to the land and trails you love than to volunteer time to help maintain them? Work parties are super fun. You’ll meet other like-minded people and single-handedly play an active role in making a positive difference in the backcountry for all of your fellow hikers. In addition to the feel-good aspect of volunteering and the chance of meeting new friends, you’ll also have the opportunity to earn a free annual pass. There are a couple different ways to earn a free annual pass. One, when you volunteer two days for a WTA work party in the national forest, you’ll have the option to trade-in both of your volunteer day passes for an annual pass. Two, if you volunteer 24 hours on any combination of State Parks, DNR or Fish and Wildlife Lands, you’ll receive a free annual pass. Get Involved
Hike in County Parks
Most country parks allow free access all year-round and don’t require a fee to access the park or need a parking pass to park at the trailhead.
Fee-Free Days
Ever heard of National Trails Day, National Get Outdoors Day or National Public Lands Day? These days, along with a select few national holidays and other special days throughout the year are also known as Fee-Free Days. Fee-Free Days are designed to help introduce new people to public lands and give opportunities to those who cannot afford to purchase a pass a chance to explore the trails without having to pay for a pass or an entrance fee. Check the list of all the federal and state fee-free days for the year.
North Cascades National Park
Did you know that out of all the 419 national parks throughout the United States, only 112 of them charge an entrance fee? The North Cascades National Parks, located in northern Washington DOES NOT charge an entrance fee. Hiking trailheads within the North Cascades National Park DO NOT require a parking pass. Keep in mind, trailheads located on national lands adjacent to the park may require a pass. Park Information
Recreation Sites That Don’t Charge Day Use Fees
Did you know that not all USFS lands require a day use fee or a parking annual pass to visit them? If a trailhead in a national forest doesn’t offer some sort of developed facility like a picnic table or toilet, it typically won’t require a fee. There are three national forests in Oregon where day use fees aren’t charged: Malheur National Forest, Ochoco National Forest and Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. For more information on recreation sites that require or don’t require a day use fee, click here.
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