Recreation season begins on April 7

PEDRO — On April 7, the Wayne National Forest will kick off its next recreation season by welcoming riders of horses, mountain bikes and off-highway vehicles back to its designated trail systems. 

Campgrounds will open the following week on April 14.

“It’s an exciting time of year for us, as we ready our facilities and trails for this season’s visitors,” said Forest Supervisor Lee Stewart. “We hope people get outdoors and safely explore their national forest.”

Seasonal trail passes for off-highway vehicles can be purchased online through pay.gov, as well as from participating vendors and our district office buildings. 

Price options for off-highway vehicle trail passes include $35 for a seasonal pass and $20 for a three-day pass.

Trail passes are not required for riding horses or mountain bikes. Hiking is always allowed year-round on all Wayne National Forest trails for free. 

The 244,000-acre Wayne National Forest offers visitors over 400 miles of trails, 10 campgrounds, picnic areas and more to explore and enjoy. 

The Forest Service invites you to come visit your national forest this year and get outside, connect with nature and have fun.

The U.S. Forest Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Its mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the country’s 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. 

The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Its public lands contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year and provide 20 percent of the country’s clean water supply. For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/wayne.