Recreation Fee Areas

An immense variety of recreation opportunities exist in the Daniel Boone National Forest. Over 5 million visitors came to this forest last year. Visitors use restrooms, campgrounds, boat ramps, trails and interpretive programs--all of which cost money to run. Forest Service recreation budgets have been shrinking and less money is available to maintain and improve our recreation areas to meet customer expectations. In 1996 Congress passed the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program legislation, that allows the Forest Service to charge at recreation areas and reinvest the revenues to improve and maintain these facilities.

The Daniel Boone National Forest is participating in the Recreation Fee Program. This program is a test of the concept of operating our facilities on a more business-like basis and using the revenues collected to help operate and maintain recreation areas. 80% of the revenues collected stay at the areas collected for this purpose. (Recreation Fee Program Report, pdf) The remaining revenues cover the cost of posters, passes, signs, collection and general management of the program at these areas.

Pass Information

Hang-tag type passes will be sold through local stores near these areas and in larger towns such as London, Morehead and Lexington. Current information on sales locations will be displayed at charge sites, and at your nearest Forest Service office.

• Each ANNUAL pass will be valid for up to two household vehicles (not at the same time, each motorized vehicle taking up a parking place will need a pass).
• Annual pass expire December 31st of year purchased.
• Pass for 1 and 3 days expire at noon of the day after the last day of the passes.
• Each pass user is responsible to properly fill out a pass in non-erasable ink and properly display a pass with unaltered entries for it to be valid.
• Failure to display a valid pass can result in fines.
• Extra 1 and 3 day passes can be purchased for future use.
• Boat trailers at boat ramps are allowed only if attached to a vehicle with a valid pass.
• Trailers not attached to a vehicle are not allowed.
• 1-DAY PERMIT - $3.00
  
• 3-DAY PERMIT - $5.00
  
• ANNUAL PERMIT - $30.00

TRAIL FEES:

At this time, all trails are free use except for the White Sulphur Trail on the Cumberland Ranger District and Redbird Crest Trail on Redbird Ranger District. A special recreation permit is required to use these trails.

The following types of permits are available:

• 1-DAY PERMIT - $7.00
  Valid until noon the day after purchase. Band must be worrn on operator's wrist or attached to handlebar of ATV to be valid.
• 3-DAY PERMIT - $15.00
  Valid until noon the 4th day from purchase. Band must be worrn on operator's wrist or attached to handlebar of ATV to be valid.
• ANNUAL PERMIT - $40.00
  Valid May 1 - Nov. 30 for White Sulphur; Redbird Crest Trail open year round. Sticker must be affixed to left rear of ATV to be vali

Author: Recreation Staff  
Last Updated: January 28, 2011