Passes and Permits for Hiking
Passes and permits are a reality of hiking in Washington, and though they serve two different purposes, they both exist to ensure a quality experience when hiking and recreating in the outdoors.
Below, we list the recreation passes you'll need to visit national parks and forests and state lands. You can find out which pass you need for a specific hike on each hike entry in our Hiking Guide.
We also have a Q&A to help you to determine which pass or passes are best for you:
Types of Passes
National Park Passes
A pass is required to visit Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks, home to some of the more iconic trails in Washington, like the Wonderland Trail.
You can purchase these at national park entrances, or online. If you get a pass online, please print your pass and be prepared to show your hard copy pass at park entrance stations.
Entrance fee (good for 7 days): $30/car; $15/person walk-in or bike-in; $25/motorcycle.
Annual pass to single park: $55
Northwest Forest Pass
National Forest trailheads in WA and OR with facilities (toilet, picnic table, etc.) charge a fee covered by this pass. This includes most trailheads in the Cascades and Olympics, including iconic trails like Snow Lake.
You can purchase these at National Forest offices and visitor centers, via private vendors or online. You can also buy the day pass (called an ePass) online and print it at home.
Day Pass and ePass (good for one day): $5/car
Annual pass (honored at all Forest Service day-use or entrance fee sites in Washington and Oregon): $30
Northwest Forest Pass Details
Discover Pass
The Discover Pass is required if you park at Washington State Parks, Department of Natural Resources lands and Department of Fish and Wildlife trailheads. This includes campgrounds, parks, wildlife areas, trails, natural areas, wilderness areas and water access points.
Find a shop near you that sells them or you can borrow Discover Passes through your local library.
Discover Pass Day Pass (good for one day): $10/car
Annual pass (honored at all state recreation lands): $30
Pass Details
- Entrance fee: $30/car; $15/person walk-in or bike-in; $25/motorcycle. Required at Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks. Good for seven days. There are no fees to enter North Cascades National Park.
- Annual pass: $55. Provides entrance for a year to either Olympic or Mount Rainier National Park. This pass is only good at the park where it was purchased.
- America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass: $80. Also called the America the Beautiful pass. Provides entrance to any national park, national forest or other federal site charging fees for one year. Purchase at the park or online: details are here.
- Interagency Senior Pass: $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. The lifetime pass that is honored nationwide at any federal site charging entrance fees. Check out the details here.
- Annual Pass - Military: Free. The Military Pass provides free access to federal land for all military personnel, veterans, and Gold Star Family members and their dependents. Details.
- Interagency Access Pass/America the Beautiful Access Pass: Free. Those with permanent disabilities may be eligible for a lifetime pass that is honored nationwide. There is a one-time $10 fee to apply for this pass. Details.
- Wilderness Permits. If you plan to backpack in a National Park or monument, you will likely need to secure a wilderness permit. Check individual park sites for information about how to get your permit.
All National Forest trailheads in Washington and Oregon with facilities (toilet, picnic table, etc.) charge a user fee. This includes most trailheads in the Cascades and Olympics. A list of those sites is here. And you can use the USFS database to find a shop in your town that sells these.
- National Forest Recreation Day Pass and ePass: $5/car. Allows you to park at trailheads for one day. You can purchase several day passes ahead of time and write the dates on them as you use them. The pass is available at National Forest offices and visitor centers, via private vendors or online. You can also buy the day pass (called an ePass) online and print it at home. Note that WTA and some other vendors listed do not carry day passes.
- Northwest Forest Pass: $30. An annual pass honored at all Forest Service day-use or entrance fee sites in Washington and Oregon. The pass is available at National Forest offices and visitor centers and via private vendors or online.
- America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass: $80. This pass provides entrance to all Forest Service, national park and other federal site charging fees for one year. Purchase at a National Forest office or online - details are here.
- Interagency Senior Pass: $20 for an annual pass, $80 for a lifetime pass. This is a lifetime pass that is honored nationwide at any federal site charging entrance fees. Check out the details here.
- Mount St. Helens National Monument: Mount St. Helens, managed by the USFS, charges on a per-person fee basis. Entry to the Coldwater or Johnson Ridge sites are $8 per person for those 16 and older (free for kids). They will honor Interagency Annual and Senior passes for named pass-holders, and a Northwest Forest Pass will gain entry for one person. Details.
- Wilderness permits: To backpack or overnight camp in some delicate or popular places, like the Enchantments in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest or the Mount Margaret backcountry camps at Mount St. Helens you will need to secure a wilderness permit.
The Discover Pass is required if you will park at Washington State Parks, Department of Natural Resources lands and Department of Fish and Wildlife trailheads. This includes campgrounds, parks, wildlife areas, trails, natural areas, wilderness areas and water access points. Find a shop near you that sells them or you can borrow Discover Passes through your local library.
- Discover Pass Day Pass: $10/car. Allows visitors to park at state recreation lands for one day.
- Discover Pass Annual Pass: $30. Allows visitors to park on state recreation lands for one year from issue. Hikers can purchase the Discover Pass at state parks, when renewing car tabs, online through Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s automated system and in person at the 600 retail locations that currently sell hunting and fishing licenses. If using a retail outlet or the online service, passes will be subject to a $5 upcharge. Day passes have a $1.50 upcharge. Staffed state parks and unstaffed payment stations sell the Discover Pass at face-value. The Discover Pass transferable between two cars.
- Fish and Wildlife Vehicle Use Permit/Vehicle Access Pass (VAP). Previously available for purchase, the complimentary VAP is provided to those who purchase hunting and fishing licenses. This pass only provides access to WDFW lands.
- Washington State Parks Car Tab renewal donation. We encourage you to continue to donate $5 to State Parks when renewing your annual vehicle license tabs. However, this is not the same as the Discover Pass.
Other Passes
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE LANDS
Many of Washington's National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) including Nisqually, Dungeness and Ridgefield NWRs — require a recreation pass as well. The fee is usually $3 per family ($15 annually) payable at the visitor center or trailhead. They also accept the Interagency Annual, Access and Senior passes, as well as the Federal Duck Stamp pass.
WINTER RECREATION - WASHINGTON SNO-PARKS
Washington's Sno-Park Permits allow you to park at plowed lots accessible to groomed and backcountry trails. You can find your nearest non-motorized Sno-Park , or you can snowshoe or ski on the nearest motorized Sno-Park.
- Day Permits: $25/day. Day Permits are valid at any Sno-Park location, including Special Groomed Trail locations,* until midnight of the purchase date.
- Seasonal Permits: $50/season. Seasonal Permits are valid at all Sno-Park locations EXCEPT those designated as Special Groomed Trail locations. If you know you'll be going out two or more times, buy the Seasonal Permit.
- Special Groomed Trails Permits: $70/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.
Sno-Park permits can be purchased online starting November 1st, or for an extra $2, at a number of locations statewide.
Note: Sno-Park permit costs will increase starting November 1, 2021.
FAQ
Funding for public lands has dwindled in recent decades, and passes like the Discover Pass and Northwest Forest Pass, are one way land managers try to make up some of the difference. But you may wonder: Where does the money go?
It may not make sense that fees are necessary to enjoy Washington’s parks and forests. But much of the work done on trails and campgrounds is invisible — for example, your pass funds employ backcountry rangers and trail crews who you may not see when you visit. But they empty the garbage at trailheads and campsites, build new bridges and clear trails. They also replace vandalized signs and improve signs worn illegible by time. In short, they help get you where you’d like to go.
Passes, while a critical part of funding can pose barriers to everyone getting outside. That’s why most land management agencies offer fee-free days.
Why permits?
Backcountry (or wilderness) permits, like those issued in national parks or wilderness quota areas like the Enchantments, serve a different purpose. Permits are a way of regulating the amount of foot traffic in fragile environments that can only handle so much use before they begin to erode. Permits are intended not only preserve the environment but also the hiking experience. This allows you to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of nature—without being overrun with crowds.
Some of these permits are free, while others come with small fees. Some are seasonal, and others are required year-round. Permits can be be confusing and difficult to secure, but in the end, they serve a valuable purpose.