BLM celebrates Great American Outdoors Day with free day-use access
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PORTLAND, Ore. — The Bureau of Land Management is waiving recreation day-use fees for visitors on August 4, 2023, in celebration of the third annual Great American Outdoors Day. The BLM is inviting all communities to explore the unique and diverse natural landscapes and recreation facilities available on their public lands throughout Oregon and Washington.
Within Oregon and Washington, the BLM’s standard amenity day-use fees will be waived at the following:
- Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area
- Cape Blanco Lighthouse
- Wildwood Recreation Site
- Hyatt Lake Recreation Area
- Gerber Recreation Area
- Yakima River Canyon
- Loon Lake Recreation Site
- Alsea Falls Recreation Site
- Shotgun Creek Recreation Site
- Edson Creek Recreation Site
- Spring Recreation Site
The standard amenity fee waiver does not guarantee admission to some busy recreation areas where reservations for day-use, group sites, and overnight camping are recommended. Please contact the local BLM office if you have any questions about a recreation site you are interested in visiting.
“Providing outdoor recreation opportunities to all communities is a top priority,” said Anita Bilbao, BLM Oregon/Washington Associate State Director. “We invite everyone to enjoy the spectacular beauty of your public lands firsthand.”
The Great American Outdoors Day was established to celebrate the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act into law on August 4, 2020, which invests in the protection and sustainment of public lands. With GAOA funding, the BLM is addressing deferred maintenance needs and improving public access to numerous popular outdoor recreation destinations throughout Oregon and Washington, including the Lower Deschutes Wild and Scenic River, Loon Lake Recreation Site, Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, and Hyatt Lake Campground. You can comprehensively search all available BLM recreation opportunities to explore on your public lands at https://www.blm.gov/visit.
Know before you go:
- Be fire aware. Check for local fire restrictions and active fire closures.
- Practice Leave No Trace principles and leave your public lands cleaner than you found them.
- The fee waiver only applies to standard amenity fees for day-use at the recreation sites listed. The waiver does not apply to any expanded amenity fees for overnight camping, group day-use, and cabin rentals or individual Special Recreation Permit fees along permitted rivers.
Fee-free days occur each year in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Great American Outdoors Day, National Public Lands Day, and Veterans Day.
The remaining fee-free days in 2023 are:
- September 23 (National Public Lands Day)
- November 11 (Veterans Day)
For more information about the BLM’s recreation fee program, please visit https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/permits-and-fees.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.