Recreation Fee Program

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Soaring over the Snake River Birds of Prey NCA

Teepees at Idaho's Sacajawea Interpretive Center in Salmon

Idaho | Recreation



BLM>Idaho>Programs>Recreation

Print Page

Recreation Fees & Permits

rafting on the Payette River

The unique and diverse natural landscapes and world-class visitor facilities on the National System of Public Lands are among America's greatest treasures — and most are open to recreational use. As more and more people call the West home, more people are recreating on BLM-managed lands. Expectations have risen along with the number of visitors.

Today, recreation accounts for 8 of every 10 contacts between the public and the BLM.

a dune rider jumps at ATV at St. Anthony Sand Dunes (CREDIT: DuneRat LLC)

Ensuring that the public lands offer recreational facilities and services that meet or exceed visitor expectations requires an investment of financial resources. Tax revenues pay part of these costs, but recreation fee revenues supplement general appropriations to facilitate access to public lands, and protect natural resources and public health and safety at the recreation sites where they are collected.

Nearly all recreation fees are kept
at the site where they are collected.

hikers in the Big Jacks Creek Wilderness, Owyhee County

Recreation Enhancement Act

The Act authorizes the BLM and other Federal agencies to collect user fees for certain recreational activities in the interest of maintaining and improving the quality of visitor services and amenities.

Rather than requiring taxpayers who never use the amenities to assume the entire cost, the Act allows management agencies and visitors who enjoy the amenities to partner in sharing costs.

The vast majority of BLM sites remain fee-free.