One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
US Forest Service waives visitor fees for MLK Day
Angeles National Forest
(
tsoleau/Flickr (Creative Commons-licensed)
)
The U.S. Forest Service is waving some visitor fees at all national forests this weekend in honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, including forests here in Southern California.
The fee waivers are in effect through Monday in all parts of the nearly 700,000-acre San Bernardino National Forest.
That means visitors don’t have to pay the "Adventure Pass" entry fee for hiking, fishing and other activities.
The San Bernardino forest’s public affairs officer Valerie Baca says the waivers are in part an effort to boost economic activity near national forests and parkland. “The Park Service is doing it as well as the Forest Service, the land management agencies are doing it. And basically we do it to stimulate interest in the mountains, and if fee waivers can inspire or encourage visitors, then that’s our ultimate goal."
Visitors to the Angeles National Forest won’t have to pay entry fees either. But campground, reservation and concession fees may still be in effect.
Joshua Tree National Monument will forgo its $15–a-vehicle entrance fee through the long weekend.
Baca says the fee waivers, along with the unseasonably warm weather, could attract more visitors than usual to the San Bernardino Mountains.
Sponsored message
“A lot of our sites that normally are not accessible are accessible this year because of the warmer temperatures," Baca said, "and it's more appealing to be in the mountains when it's warmer.”
But the warmer days come with higher risk of winter wildfires. Gusty winds and dry conditions prompted the Forest Service to impose restrictions, including a ban on campfires and outdoor stoves outside designated camping and picnic areas.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
