Fees waived for Get Outdoors Day
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 5 months AGO
If you're looking to get away for the weekend and shake off the last of the winter blues, waived fees at Forest Service-run recreation areas may be the way to go this weekend.
COURTESY PHOTO/VLAD BAGACIAN VIA PEXELS
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | June 5, 2023 5:59 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. — Day-use sites in Washington and Oregon will be free on June 10 in celebration of National Get Outdoors Day, the USDA Forest Service announced Monday, as a way of encouraging people to explore the outdoors.
"We are delighted to waive fees for National Get Outdoors Day," Tracy Calizon, assistant director of recreation and related resources for the Pacific Northwest region of the Forest Service, wrote in the announcement. "This is a wonderful opportunity for individuals and families to engage in outdoor activities and discover the incredible natural beauty that our forests and public lands have to offer. We hope that by providing free access, more people will be inspired to connect with nature, create lasting memories, and foster a lifelong appreciation for our environment."
The waiver includes many picnic areas, boat launches, trailheads, and visitor centers, the announcement said. Concession operations will continue to charge fees unless the permit holder chooses to participate. Regular fees for camping, cabin rentals, heritage expeditions, and other permits will still apply. Approximately two-thirds of developed recreation sites in national forests and grasslands are available for use at no cost and 98% of national forests and grasslands have no fees at any time, it said.
Examples of nearby Forest Service areas include the Wanapum Recreation Area, the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Umtanum Creek Recreation Site and Long Meadow Campground.
The Pacific Northwest Region of the Forest Service manages millions of acres of land across Washington and Oregon including over 2,400 developed recreation sites, more than 24,000 miles of trails, 51 Wild and Scenic Rivers, and two national monuments, the announcement said. Visitors are encouraged to check their local forest or public land websites for specific information on recreation opportunities, trails, safety guidelines and any additional regulations, and also to practice Leave No Trace principles during their outdoor adventures.
More information can be found at www.fs.usda.gov.