Recreation site fees to increase on Santa Fe National Forest in 2025

Beginning next spring, fees for day use sites and campgrounds on the Santa Fe National Forest will increase.

The extra revenue from the price increase will be invested into forest recreation site maintenance such as trash collection, septic and vault toilet pumping, painting, cleaning, addressing the backlog of maintenance, conducting patrols and maintaining high-use sites.

In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, which allows the Forest Service to retain a portion of revenue collected at recreation sites and use those funds locally to operate, maintain and improve these sites.

The SFNF sells a variety of passes the public can purchase at the district offices and supervisor’s office. These passes provide discounts to day-use sites and campgrounds. The Enchantment Pass, available at any Forest Service office in the state of New Mexico, is $40 and provides fee-free access to day-use sites and trailhead parking areas on any of the five national forests and grasslands in the state. The pass is valid for one year from the date of purchase.

This summer, the SFNF has introduced scan and pay, a new way to pay for campgrounds. Scan and pay is available at Vista Linda and Redondo Campgrounds in the Jemez Ranger District. The Scan and Pay app from Recreation.gov allows users to scan a QR code at the kiosk and pay for their site. In addition to using the scan and pay app, cash payment is an option.