National Forests Finances

As of Monday, visitors will have to dig into their pockets to hike, bike or swim in four Southern California national forests because of a pilot program to raise millions of dollars for improvements. The three-year program, approved by Congress last year, targets the eroding trails and services in Los Padres, Angeles, Cleveland and San Bernardino national forests. The fees will be $5 a day or $30 for an annual pass.

They call it the Adventure Pass, but a whole lot of Los Padres National Forest users consider it a misadventure. "As it is now, it costs $5 just to park your car and walk the trail," said Colleen Hefley, a Santa Ynez resident. She and her young daughter routinely hike through the forest. Until the Adventure Pass was instituted, those hikes were one of the few things they could do together that was free, she said.

It was meant to be a simple program with a laudable goal when it was launched six months ago--people would pay to play in Los Padres and the three other national forests in Southern California. With 10 million hikers, bikers, anglers and swimmers descending upon Los Padres alone annually, it was thought the user fees--priced at $5 daily or $30 annually per carload--would enable the budget-squeezed U.S. Forest Service to fix vandalized campgrounds and washed-out trails.

It was meant to be a simple program with a laudable goal when it was launched six months ago--people would pay to play in Los Padres and the three other national forests in Southern California. With 10 million hikers, bikers, anglers and swimmers descending upon Los Padres alone annually, it was thought the user fees--priced at $5 daily or $30 annually per carload--would enable the budget-squeezed U.S. Forest Service to fix vandalized campgrounds and washed-out trails.

They call it the Adventure Pass, but a whole lot of Los Padres National Forest users consider it a misadventure. "As it is now, it costs $5 just to park your car and walk the trail," said Colleen Hefley, a Santa Ynez resident. She and her young daughter routinely hike through the forest. Until the Adventure Pass was instituted, those hikes were one of the few things they could do together that was free, she said.

As of Monday, visitors will have to dig into their pockets to hike, bike or swim in four Southern California national forests because of a pilot program to raise millions of dollars for improvements. The three-year program, approved by Congress last year, targets the eroding trails and services in Los Padres, Angeles, Cleveland and San Bernardino national forests. The fees will be $5 a day or $30 for an annual pass.