Sedona, AZ (November 1, 2011) – In celebration of Veteran’s Day and to encourage a shared sense of land stewardship, the Forest Service announces another “fee free weekend” Friday, November 11 through Sunday November 13. “The Forest Service waives fees every year to encourage more Americans to get outdoors and experience the wide array of recreation opportunities provided on our forests and grasslands,” said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. “We hope that these experiences on our lands will foster a lifelong appreciation and stewardship of precious natural resources.”
Day use fees will be waived at all standard amenity fee sites operated by the Forest Service including the Red Rock Pass. This includes access to Palatki and Honanki Ruins, V Bar B Cultural Site and approximately 300 miles of multiple-use trails. Not included in this program are local campgrounds and concession operated sites such as Call of the Canyon, Grasshopper Point and Crescent Moon Ranch.
The fee waiver days support the goals of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) initiative, as well as First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Outside program. AGO helps to raise awareness about the serious challenges natural resources face today, particularly the loss of prime agricultural and forests lands that provide a wealth of benefits to Americans, including clean water, wildlife habitat, food and fiber, and more. The Let’s Move! Outside program promotes regular outdoor activity to help kids maintain a healthy weight, boost immunity and bone health, and lower stress. By linking parents to nearby parks, trails and waters, and providing tips and ideas, Let’s Move! Outside can help families develop a more active lifestyle.
Fees are not charged for 98 percent of national forest and grasslands and more than two-thirds of developed recreation sites can be used for free. The U.S. Forest Service mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land and is the world’s largest forestry research organization. For more information on the Forest Service’s recreation fee program and how these funds are used, visit .