Adventure Pass, Explained
If you're parking at a developed Forest Service trailhead in these mountains, assume yes. The Adventure Pass costs $5 per day or $30 per year and hangs from your mirror or sits on the dash. An America the Beautiful interagency pass covers it. There's usually no booth — it's honor-system signage, and rangers do write tickets.
The facts
- Price
- $5/day, $30/year
- Also covered by
- America the Beautiful (Interagency) annual pass
- Where you need it
- Developed fee sites in SoCal national forests — most maintained trailhead lots here
- Where you don't
- Private land (e.g. Bowen Ranch's $10/person is separate); non-fee roadside areas
- Enforcement
- Honor-system signage; rangers ticket at popular lots
Getting there
The two-minute version
The Adventure Pass is the parking fee system for Southern California's national forests, including the San Bernardino. Where it applies — developed fee sites, which in practice means most maintained trailhead lots in this range — you display a pass in your parked car: $5 for a day pass, $30 for the annual, sold at ranger stations and local vendors (many mountain gas stations and general stores carry them).
If you already have an America the Beautiful interagency pass (the $80 national parks annual), you're covered — hang it and go. That's usually the better buy for anyone who visits both parks and forests.
Where people get burned
Three recurring mistakes. First, assuming no booth means no fee — Adventure Pass sites are honor-system signage with real ranger enforcement, and the popular lots (Heart Rock, Heaps Peak) get checked. Second, assuming the pass covers everything — private land is separate: Bowen Ranch's $10/person fee at Deep Creek has nothing to do with the Forest Service. Third, buying a day pass at the trailhead — most fee lots have no on-site sales, so buy before you drive up.
Each trailhead guide on this site says whether the pass applies, so you don't have to guess.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an Adventure Pass?
$5 for a day pass, $30 for an annual. An America the Beautiful interagency pass ($80/year) also covers Adventure Pass sites.
Where do I buy an Adventure Pass?
Ranger stations and local vendors — many mountain-town gas stations and general stores sell them. Most trailhead lots have no on-site sales, so buy one before driving to the trailhead.
Do rangers actually check for the pass?
Yes, especially at popular lots like Heart Rock and Heaps Peak. The sites are honor-system signage backed by ranger citations.
Does the Adventure Pass cover Deep Creek Hot Springs?
Not on the Bowen Ranch side — that's private property with its own $10/person cash fee. The free Bradford Ridge roadside off Hwy 173 isn't a designated fee site either.
Facts on this page last verified July 18, 2026. Fees, hours, and access rules change seasonally — confirm with the official source before a long drive.