The new year is upon us! Welcome 2024 with a fee-free visit to your public lands. The Bureau of Land Management is waiving recreation standard amenity and day-use fees on Jan. 15, in honor of the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day takes place on the third Monday in January and recognizes Dr. King’s service and leadership in the civil rights movement. “For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and every day, we are committed to make public lands access more equitable for all,” said Barry Bushue, BLM Oregon-Washington State Director. Within Oregon and Washington, most access to recreate on BLM OR/WA public lands is free. The BLM’s standard amenity day-use fees will be waived at the following locations:
Alsea Falls Recreation Site
Hyatt Lake Recreation Area
Gerber Recreation Area
Sandy Ridge Trail System
Shotgun Creek Recreation Site
Spring Recreation Site
Wildwood Recreation Site
Yakima River Canyon
Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area
The standard amenity fee waiver does not apply to any expanded amenity fees for overnight camping, group day-use, cabin rentals, or individual Special Recreation Permit fees along permitted rivers. Please contact your local BLM office with questions about a recreation site you are interested in visiting.
Winter weather recreation requires more preparation to stay safe. Check with your local BLM office to learn about current conditions and road closures. Remember to always pack the 10 essentials: navigation tools (map, GPS, personal locator beacon), headlamp, sun protection (sunglasses and sunscreen for snow glare), first aid kit, knife/gear repair kit, fire essentials (fire starter, matches, lighter), shelter (i.e., an emergency survival blanket), extra food, extra water (beyond the minimum expectation), and extra clothes (layers).
This is the first of five fee-free days to encourage recreation opportunities on public lands. Other 2024 fee-free days are June 19 (Juneteenth National Independence Day), July 16 (the BLM's birthday), September 28 (National Public Lands Day), and November 11 (Veterans Day).
For more information about the BLM’s recreation opportunities, visit https://www.blm.gov/visit. Remember to always Recreate Responsibly and leave your public lands cleaner than you found them by practicing Leave No Trace.
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